


Giving Truth to The Lie

by lucidhalos



Series: We Are Burdened with Glorious Purpose [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Assistant Darcy Lewis, Awesome Darcy Lewis, Brotherly Bonding, Butchering of Norse Mythology, F/F, F/M, Loki of Sassgard, Marvel Norse Lore, Marvel Universe, Odin's A+ Parenting, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Thor: The Dark World, Slow Burn, The Nine Realms, Thor Is Not Stupid, tasertricks - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-02-12 21:05:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12968418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucidhalos/pseuds/lucidhalos
Summary: No one understands defeat better than Loki Laufeyson—so when the opportunity to change his course finally appears, he decides to take that plunge. The temptation of wielding ultimate power far too sweet to just let slip by. But fate has other plans for him and he'll soon learn that what he pursues comes with a hefty price.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. So, I had tried very hard to just edit the existing version of this but it was not working at all, especially since I already know how this story is going to go and how it’s going to end (I’ve already outlined _everything_ ). It seemed like everything that I had written for it up until now was too much filling and not enough actual substance. As a result, I decided to give this an overhaul and redo it from ground zero.
> 
> For anyone who has read this before, there is some overlap, but also changes have been made. I’ve eliminated some unnecessary parts, edited dialogue, tweaked some scenes that would have caused minor plot holes later, and added a much more prominent underlying plot. I’m not sure what the length of this story will be at the end of it all, however, it is going to be part of a trilogy (as mentioned, it is all mapped) that I’ve dubbed _We Are Burdened with Glorious Purpose_.
> 
> I’m by no means a writer, but I do enjoy writing so I’d love beta reader or at least someone who is willing to go back and forth and to help me bring my ideas to fruition.
> 
>  _Set after the events of **Thor: The Dark World**_ _. Partially AU_.  
> This is not beta’d. Any mistakes are my own.

* * *

When Odin had first heard that Thor had returned to Asgard he didn’t know whether to be relieved or angry. However, as he listened to his son speak it was becoming much easier for him to decide how to feel now.

“What is this I’m hearing? You disappoint me, Thor. I entrust you with the greatest honor and you want to forfeit it all for a mere mortal woman,” the weary king proclaimed, his good eye trained on the kneeling prince. The All-Father had been fully prepared to overlook the fact that his son had gone against his decree and chose to chase after Malekith and his army. Thor had, after all, returned victorious. But that victory was slowly tainted by his wishes to abdicate the throne and return to Midgard. Odin was no longer feeling in such a charitable mood.

“Jane is not any mere mortal woman,” Thor declared, posture steady and firm with certainty. “She is the one I love. She does not know what I came here to say. Now, forbid me to see her or say she can rule at my side. It changes nothing.” 

“It changes everything!” The All-Father stood at those words, slamming the blunt end of the Gungnir down against the floor. “I forbid it. You are my son and my heir. A crowned prince cannot walk away from Asgard because he is lured by the sweetness of a Midgardian!”

But Thor did not waver. He stood.

“I will still protect Asgard and all the realms with my last and every breath, but I cannot do so from that chair!” he protested, pausing to will his rising temper back down. “I’d rather be a good man than a great king.”

Odin swore he could feel his blood boiling over. His fingers tightened around his weapon. “Foolish boy! You commit treason and yet still claim to be a good man? What nonsense am I hearing? Is this my legacy?”

He knew his words were harsh and biting but there was no malice behind them. Thor's request had hurt him more than it actually angered him. His son was the only family he had left. He knew that visage of a perfect household had long ago shattered into pieces, but it took the death of his queen to realize how unsalvageable his family had become. He was done with grieving and mourning. He refused to lose another person he cared for.

Thor’s eyes steeled over, jaw clenched tightly as he swallowed the lump at the back of his throat. “ _Nonsense_? What nonsense is, is that Loki for all his grave imbalances understood rule as I know I never will. He died with honor and I shall try to live the same—is that not legacy enough?” 

Odin scoffed. Had no one informed Thor of what Loki had done? While his eldest son had been running around on Midgard, his other son had decided to pay him a visit.

* * *

Odin had been shocked to hear Thor had broken Loki out of prison, but he had made quick and quiet work to remedy that problem. He could not risk bringing further panic and terror to his shaken citizens. The situation had to be dealt delicately, and so he had ordered Tyr to send out his best soldiers to apprehend them. 

It had only taken them a few hours to return empty-handed, but it was not for naught. They had returned with dire news and informed him that they had located Loki—and that he had been found dead.

The unforeseen outcome made his head spin with grief. Odin knew he may not have had the best relationship with his youngest son, but he had still cared for Loki nonetheless. Yet, he had his part to play too. He could not afford to show such sentiment to his people unless he wished to show his fallacies as a king. The moment Loki had become a public criminal was the moment he no longer swept things under a rug. Family or not, a king’s civic duty was to deliver justice and maintain the peace.

While he knew they more than likely relished in the death of a criminal, he did not feel the same. He wanted to know _what_ had exactly happened. How had this come to be? Loki may not have been the warrior Thor was, but his cleverness had always saved him from a situation. It didn’t make any sense.

Something seemed off and Odin eyed the guard who had delivered the news with a calculative eye. Everything seemed to have clicked into place the moment the soldier looked back at him with mirth in his eyes.

Odin inhaled sharply.

It took only a split second for the entire room to change and the illusion to finally crumble. The accompanying guards vanished like smoke and a bitter laugh filled the chamber as reality shifted into focus. And while Odin had sensed the trickster’s presence just before, it did not stop the blood from draining from his face.

“Loki,” he muttered aghast. He gripped the Gungnir tightly. “What game are you playing?”

The trickster chuckled, before flashing his teeth. “No games here, old man.”

But Odin was no fool. The king knew better than to take the word of the infamous lie-smith and he instinctively pointed his weapon at his disowned son. “ _Are you mad_? Have you returned to provoke me?” 

Loki clicked his tongue with admonishment before diving at the king. While Odin had been prepared to strike him down, he had been too slow to react. The spear tumbled down the stairs with a loud clamor as Loki forced Odin back into his seat. The prince hovered above him, eyes ablaze, clasping onto the back of the throne with one hand while he held a dagger in the other.

The dagger pressed against the king’s neck. “Provoke? _Most certainly_.”

But Odin stared back at him, his face calm for a man who was being held at knifepoint. He may not be as quick as he used to be, but he was not about to let that fallacy make him a victim. “No, Loki.” 

Those simple words seemed to have struck a chord. Loki stiffened in reaction and exhaled sharply through his nose. Angrily, he pressed the dagger in more. “What has happened to the proud king of Asgard? Can you only provide a show when you have an audience to appease? _Hmm_?”

The king felt something warm slither down his throat. “Will it satisfy you to kill me?”

“Satisfaction is not in my nature,” Loki spat back, his knuckles turning white.

Odin scowled. “Is there ever a point to this madness? If you are here to end me, then end me.”

“And there is that arrogance,” Loki hissed in annoyance before he pulled back to watch a line of blood slither down his neck.

Odin knew he could have done much more than have given him a flesh wound, but something did not seem right. He could feel that something was amiss and that Loki’s resolve was not entirely there. Whatever had compelled him to return to Asgard, was no longer driving him to take any further action.

The All-Father winced and grasped at his throat. Loki may have stopped what he was doing, but it did not stop the fact that he had shed his blood. Odin found his calm demeanor was quickly evaporating. “Do not speak to me about arrogance when you dare appear in front of me. Do you forget the crimes you have committed? Do not play me a fool!”

“ _Fool_?” Loki snarled, “You have had me playing the fool my entire life!”

“You have done that to yourself!” Odin objected, rising to his feet, “You cannot blame me for the crimes you have committed.”

“My crimes are no different than yours,” Loki jeered, his dagger pointed, “Do not pretend to be as humble as you believe to be, Odin.”

The king’s face twisted, the last bit of his resolve snapping. “The only crime I am guilty of is taking in a monster like you!”

Those words were out of his mouth before Odin had realized the gravity behind them. Loki’s expression fell almost immediately—all the madness and contempt was briefly replaced with a look of despair. And that was the moment Odin knew that he had finally shattered what little hope that had remained. Loki had always feared hearing those exact words, and now the cries of accusations from years ago came into fruition.

It was a mistake.

Odin reached a hand out to him, but recoiled when Loki let out an anguished scream. The trickster flung himself forth, dagger swinging madly in the air as the large gilded doors flung open and the real Einherjar rushed in with his ravens in tow loudly behind them.

But Loki cared not, as both father and son stumbled forward. The trickster grasped at Odin’s cape and the king struggled to pull away from his hold. Loki slammed the dagger down onto the armrest as he loomed overhead like a predator. His green eyes burned with rage, but instead of spitting fire he gave a feral smile—something sinister and unhinged that sent a chill down Odin’s spine.

“Finally, the truth,” Loki bit out, just before the guards finally pulled him away.

* * *

But the truth was, that Odin had screwed up and he knew no matter what he said now, it would be meaningless. He had made too many mistakes to atone for. The All-Father’s chest tightened as his expression turned somber. He could do nothing to mask the hurt in his voice.

“Loki’s alive,” Odin murmured, “I believe his intention was to kill me.”

“What…?” Thor muttered, his face dropping at the news. He stared incredulously at the All-Father, shaking his head in denial. “You must be mistaken. I watched him die in my arms!”

Odin frowned. Heimdall had confessed that he had aided Thor and that Thor had been the one to release Loki. It had been foolish of his eldest son to do so, but the need to save the mortal was much more important to him than keeping a criminal detained. While he may have planned to return Loki to serve for his crimes, the trickster had drawn up his own agenda the moment that he was free. He was now beginning to understand just how Loki had slipped away from Thor’s radar.

“Loki saved me from Kurse and suffered for it. How could he still be alive when I witnessed him die with my very own eyes?” Thor questioned, as he let the news wash over him.

“You know very well that Loki has always had a talent for deceit,” Odin chimed with an unpleasant tone, slowly sinking down onto his throne. “It seems he faked his death so he could carry out his own plans freely. I’m certain it involves the throne.”

His finger scratched at the armrest where the dagger had left its mark. There seemed to be no other explanation why Loki would even dare show himself in his presence. He had been free, but instead, he had wandered back to Asgard. Odin knew his return had to do with him, but he couldn’t quite understand the logic behind Loki’s tact. He wasn’t one to do things blindly. 

And now, he surely didn’t think there was anything he could do to salvage any hope his son may have had. Everything had been recklessly tossed out the window when his anger had spiked. And Loki had seemed quite keen about killing him.

He sighed, his heart heavy with strain. All that has happened in the last few hours have taken a toll on him and he was beginning to feel the ache. 

“I do hope you plan to execute him.”

The anger and pain behind those words gripped heavily at Odin’s heart. Thor had always put his neck out for his younger brother. The two had gone through thick and thin and regardless of the trouble between then, Thor always stood by Loki—even after the trickster began spiraling down a darker path. The thunder god held out hope, but it was evident that it had finally become the last straw. It pained him to see Thor surrender the last bit of faith he had been so dearly holding onto.

But unfortunately, Odin was incapable of doing the same. He may have cast his son aside numerous times, but he could not find it in him to do so again. While his betrayal stung him, he knew he had partaken in this demise. Frigga had warned him.

He had played favorites from the beginning—after all, Thor was his own flesh and blood. There was no way to look past that, but he knew he could have still been a better parent to Loki. Instead, he criticized him every step of the way and all the while kept the truth hidden from him. He kept him at arm length, while Frigga took him under her wing. She had insisted that he tell Loki the truth, but he had not listened.

Would things have gone differently if he had? Would that have stopped him from becoming the destructive being he was now? The fates were never wrong and it seemed that Loki had been destined to become the villain he is now. It was in his nature.

Odin closed his eye with a deep sigh. “The axe is not for him. He will pay for his crimes but with time, but I can no longer call him my son.”

“Where is he now?”

Odin slowly peeled his eye open and gazed at his son. “Where he belongs—in his cell.”

Thor’s jaw tightened momentarily, before he bowed his head. “Forgive me father, but I will return to discuss matters with you shortly. I must first see Loki with my own eyes.”

And he turned away before anything can change his mind, but Odin had nothing more to say to him. His words would only fall on deaf ears once more. The All-Father peered at his retreating son, before averting his attention to the forgotten hammer resting on the floor.

Thor had left it behind. He had set it down as a show of respect to him, but it seemed it had been overlooked. It was unlike him to leave behind Mjölnir, but perhaps his mind was not in the right place with everything going on. Maybe he would call for it?

But the seconds turned to minutes and the hammer didn’t budge. Odin stared, expression darkening as the cogs in his head began to turn. He knew his conversation with Thor was far from over, but he would be a fool to allow his son to abandon Asgard for a meager human. He knew his words alone were not enough to stop the prince of thunder.

And so, Odin came to a decision.

He bellowed for a guard and one curtly appeared from outside the chamber. The king stood from his seat and motioned for him to come forth. The soldier sank into a low bow in front of his liege, as Odin descended down from his throne.

His hand grasped the guard’s shoulder tightly as he muttered something to him in a hushed voice. The soldier stiffened, but nodded his head in affirmation before hurrying out of the throne room leaving him completely alone. The moment Odin heard the gilded doors shut was the moment he chose to gingerly pick Mjölnir off the floor and return to his seat. 

The king closed his eye, letting his fingers fondly trace over the dwarven runes engraved on the stone. The hammer was more than just a weapon. It was a symbol of worthiness—and right now, in his eyes, Thor was no longer worthy. His son was being rash and reckless once more and during such a crucial time of need. Asgard needed their king and Midgard did not need another hero. 

He swallowed back a lump. But was he really doing the right thing? 

The All-Father sighed, sinking deeply into his throne once again. He cradled his face with one hand as he mumbled gravely.

“Frigga, forgive me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there we go. I added a lot more detail into the prologue and chopped off useless bits. I had initially wanted to recap what had happened between Loki and Odin down the road, but decided it was better to reveal it now so we can focus on other details later. But honestly, the two of them are very alike when it comes to different aspects of their personality. They have similar ideologies, but their viewpoints cause a lot of conflict.
> 
> Anyway, if the whole chat between Thor and Odin sounded familiar, it because I literally took part of the original script from **_Thor: Dark World_** and spliced it in. My attempt at trying to remain as close to the canon as possible—in fact, the title is based off a quote from Loki himself. I plan on incorporating elements from the cinematics, television series, comics, and actual Norse mythology. If you squint hard enough you may be able to catch Easter eggs occasionally. In fact, there was a lot of references to the Thor movies in the dialogue between Loki and Odin, which I’m hoping was caught. I will be adding additional information in these notes when it comes to different source material as I go along.
> 
> On a final note, this story will be told from multiple perspectives and I will be doing my best to keep the transition smooth. If there are any questions about anything, just ask and I will provide you with an answer.
> 
> But most importantly, thank you for reading.
> 
> * * *
> 
>   * **Hugin and Munin -** ( _pronounced hoo-gin and moo-nin _) - "Thought" and "Memory" are Odin's ravens mentioned in the flashback. They are his informants. Aside from appearing in the comics and Norse mythology, they can be seen perched on the throne behind Odin during the first movie. [[SOURCE](https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/others/hugin-and-munin/)]  
>  __
> 



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the feedback everyone. Wishing you all a happy new year!
> 
> I've updated the [cover](https://i.imgur.com/aWBKeDj.png) for this to go along with the update to the story.

* * *

Thor was furious. He could not believe that Loki would fake his death once more. However, what stung even more was the fact that he had gone behind his back and attempted to kill their father. That level of treachery hurt his very core. He had already lost one parent, and yet, his brother had been prepared to take the life of the other. And to pour more salt on his wounds, he had been led to believe that he had lost him up until a few moments ago.

He stormed all the way down into the prisons, not stopping until he finally reached Loki’s cell. A brief wave of relief washed over his senses seeing his brother alive once again, but crimson bled back into his vision as he watched the trickster lounge casually with a book in hand. 

How could he be so nonchalant?

It took but a moment for the mischief-maker to finally turn his attention to him. There was no doubt that his fury was clear as day, but that did not seem to faze his little brother at all. Loki simply closed the book in his lap and tilted his head, a smile stretching across his lips. It was a cruel, mocking smile that bore the top half of his white teeth at him. And oh, how Thor wished there wasn’t a barricade stopping him from knocking them down his throat. 

“And to what pleasure do I owe your company? Have you come to lecture me, oh _mighty_ god of thunder?” Loki asked, voice laced with false sweetness. His eyes wandered across his form as his mocking smile slowly turned into a full-blown scowl.

“Loki,” Thor grounded, stepping up to the barrier, “What have you done?” 

The trickster stepped forward, lessening the distance between them. The barricade flickered from the proximity, but that did not stop him from leaning forward until he was almost nose-to-nose with the thunder god. “Yes?”

Thor reeled, hissing at him. “You trickster! I know that you have become a treacherous bastard, but you have never stooped _this low_ ,” he pounded his fist against the barrier, sending sparks flickering across its surface, “Why would you try to kill our father?” 

The dark-haired god flinched, more than likely bothered by the reminder. But he was quick to remedy the moment of weakness. He steeled his expression. “Why not?”

Thor could not believe him. How could he be so dismissive? He felt his breathing quicken as he tried to smother down his anger. He wanted nothing more than to finally get the truth out of him, but he could not do anything while Loki remained behind a wall. His cell serving as a safety net for him at the moment. 

But he could change that. 

An idea struck and he quickly turned on his heel, beckoning for a guard to grant him access inside. It did not take long for one to answer to his request, as he wordlessly stepped inside the cell from the opening he was given.

Loki said nothing, crossing his arms and sniffing absentmindedly as he turned his full attention to him. There was no doubt that trickster was uncomfortable with his presence, but he cared not.

Thor stood quietly, eyes inspecting the room. When he had last seen the place, Loki had left it in ruin. The wreckage had been cleaned up, the only serving reminder was the crudely reassembled furniture that was still present. The room was now even more barren without all the luxuries that Frigga had once provided to her youngest son.

Loki held out his arm in a showcasing manner, motioning to his surroundings, “As you can see, I wasn’t expecting any company.”

Thor snapped his focus to the trickster. “I am not here to make pleasantries.” 

The god of mischief snorted at that, but before he could utter another word Thor lurched forward, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt in one swift motion. He glowered at his younger brother, the usual mirth in his blue eyes no longer there. “This is no jest. I thought you were dead. Why play such a ruse?”

Loki closed his eyes and made no move to pull away from his grip. A brief moment of silence passed through them before Loki licked his chapped lips. His expression turned somber as he stared back at him with hooded eyes. 

“You claim to have mourned for me before. I simply wished to see it for myself.” 

That was not a response that Thor was happy to hear. He slammed his brother against the wall, causing Loki to make a disgruntled noise at the back of his throat. His head slapped against the hard surface with a dull thud, but he dared not vocalize the pain. Thor was not one to hold back during a fight and that was not about to change now. 

Thor stilled, tightening his grip on Loki and resisting the urge to bash his fist into that face—at least not until he got some answers. “And our father?” 

“ _Your father_ ,” Loki corrected fervidly, “is merely in the way of the throne.” 

“So, you attempt to take his life?” 

“And yet, he lives another day and I’m back to this,” Loki motioned to his surroundings with a tilt of his head. Thor growled, shoving the trickster further against the wall. His fists tightened and twisted the fabric of his tunic as he lifted him higher. Loki exhaled sharply.

“Stop with your games and admit your failure,” Thor declared brazenly. He knew it was unlike him to use such words, but it seemed to have struck a chord as he watched Loki’s composure falter. He pressed on. “When will you learn that you’ll never win.”

Loki’s mouth twisted into a snarl and before Thor knew what had happened, he was stumbling back. He grasped at his chest momentarily, before staring down at the singed spot on his breastplate where Loki had struck him. He turned his gaze to his brother, eyes narrowed.

The trickster looked momentarily confused about what he had done, before gathering his wits and changing his stance. He shifted, posed to strike once again.

However, Thor was prepared this time to strike back. He instinctively reached for his hammer, only to realize it was missing from his belt. The warrior inwardly cursed—it was unlike him to leave behind Mjölnir, but he had been blindsided by the unfolded events to remember taking it with him. It mattered not now, for he could handle his little brother just fine without it.

He threw a punch at Loki.

* * *

The trickster braced himself, holding up an arm in defense. His forearm absorbed the blow, but that did not stop him from stumbling back from the force alone. It had been a mistake to engage Thor, especially under these circumstances.

Loki slid back, trying to place some distance between them, but instead, he found himself cornered. He now stood between a wall and Thor’s rage.

He swore under his breath. He was in no condition to fight Thor, especially when his own injuries had yet to heal. He may have faked his death, but it was no lie that he had been stabbed. It was the main reason why he had been very angry to find there had been magical limitations set, for he could not heal well without the aid of his seidr. 

Right now, he could not really afford to sustain any injuries when he had yet to recover from his previous ones.

Loki inhaled sharply, before teleporting a few steps away. He escaped just in time to witness Thor’s fist collide with the wall. The white plaster splintered immediately under the strength of the blow and he was relieved to have avoided that.

But that did not mean he was safe. He could not afford another stunt like that without draining himself completely of what little magic he still had. He took a few cautious steps back, eager to put more distance between them. However, there was nowhere to run within this cage.

Thor was breathing heavily now and turned to face his brother. He blew the hair out of his eyes and glowered at Loki. “Fight me, coward!”

But before Loki could even say or do anything, a bulky arm nailed him, solid and strong. The trickster crumbled to the floor like a house of cards, the wind completely knocked out of him.

Loki felt white hot pain course through him, as he wheezed and cradled his gut. His ears rang as blood slowly seeped the front of his shirt. That hit had torn open his wound once more.

He knew Thor noticed the moment he did not feel another blow follow. Thor’s anger had dispelled quite quickly and was now replaced with a look of concern. From the corner of his own eye, he could feel those pitiful blue eyes watching him. He hated it. 

He wheezed. “ _Don’t_.”

While he was grateful that he was no longer being pummeled, a part of him wished for that wrath to return. It was certainly more preferred over the sudden sympathy he was being given. Loki hated showing weakness. He had screwed up and he knew it—he had been in no condition to fight, especially not against someone like Thor. His magic was useless in here and he had no weapon to use in his defense.

Thor said nothing, throwing his cape behind him before sinking down onto a stool. The seat creaked under his weight as a hand raked across his face.

Loki took that as his queue to finally sit up, still clutching his stomach. The sound of his own voice sounded distant as he shifted his gaze away from Thor. “Are we feeling better?” 

“Why hasn’t a healer seen you?” 

“To what? Treat the very madman that nearly slew the king?” Loki mockingly asked.

Thor frowned. “I still do not understand what you were thinking.”

“What is there to understand? Asgard is mine to rule.”

The god of thunder stared incredulously at Loki. He could not believe the level of greed behind those words. Loki was the son who wanted the throne too much, but he was in no right state of mind to have it. 

And Thor did not wish to rule Asgard, but that also did not mean he wanted to abandon it either. He would still be a protector to the nine realms—but he wanted to do it as an Avenger and not as a king.

His father could not understand that. He did not approve of his decision and now it did not help that his father’s condition seemed to be on a decline as well. There was no doubt the king would fall into Odinsleep soon. His mother’s death had taken too much of a toll on the family, and to top it all off, the dark elves had left a portion of Asgard in ruin. The kingdom needed a king now more than ever, but Thor did not feel that he should be the one to fill that role. They needed Odin, not his son.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his beard. “Father is ill.”

Loki said nothing to that, not even a witty remark. Instead, he cast his eyes toward the back wall. He knew that Odin had grown feeble. He could not blame the king either, for he was old and had just recently lost his queen. Asgard needed someone to step up now more than ever, but he could not see Thor in that place. His brother understood battle more than politics. He does not know what is necessary for Asgard. 

And he would not be able to be a proper king when it was obvious his heart lay elsewhere. The mortal had made him weak. The effect she had on him made him sick. Odin is a fool to believe that his eldest should be the rightful heir.

Loki frowned. He was never given a chance, even though he had always sought Odin’s approval. He understood the All-Father more than he would like and he was not blind to the fact that the king was unwell. He had been sick for ages and had convinced the kingdom otherwise—but the lie-smith knew better. Loki had every intent to end his suffering, but when it came time to end him, he hesitated. He could not will himself to do it, even after he had admitted that he was a monster. He loathed the man now more than ever, but he could not find it in him to kill him. 

 _Sentiment_ , he blamed.

His jaw clenched. It drove him absolutely mad—monsters should not feel anything. But he could not sit here and dwell on that, especially with Thor present. He buried his fingers into his inky hair as he shifted his focus to the crack in the wall. 

When rage fueled his brother, Thor was capable of destruction. It surprised him. He had assumed that his brother had gone completely soft after he had been banished to Midgard, but it seemed that temperament was still as volatile as ever. He had underestimated him.

And it seems that he had been doing that a lot lately.  Perhaps, it was _he_ who has gone soft?

The sound of the stool scraping stirred Loki from his thoughts. He whipped his attention and saw the thunder god step toward the barricade.

Thor was done speaking to Loki. There was no point in trying to talk sense into someone who refused to see the error of their ways. He had pressing matters to tend to and a promise to keep. He motioned for a guard to release him, but the Einherjar nearby made no movement to approach. Instead, they threw a glance at his direction and squared their shoulders as they turned away. The warrior prince frowned and cried out for the guard, but no one came.

Something was amiss. Loki furrowed his brows, turning his full attention to the scene before him. He carefully got to his feet and strode toward the wall himself. What in the nine realms was going on?

Thor did not seem to notice or care for Loki’s presence. He pounded his fist against the barrier, demanding the attention of the guards. Perhaps they had not understood him? The ruckus seemed to have been enough to cause one of the soldiers to finally come and he looked upon the annoyed prince with an impassive gaze. This did nothing to settle the rising confusion.

Thor narrowed his eyes. “What is the meaning of this?” 

“The All-Father has issued your detainment until further notice,” the Einherjar clarified, “by his decree, you shall remain imprisoned.” 

The thunder god saw red. How could his father do such a thing? He knew Odin did not want him abandoning the throne, but he could not believe that his father would stoop to such lengths to keep him in Asgard. It was beyond childish.

“What nonsense is this? As prince of Asgard, I command thee to release me at once!”

But the guard said nothing more and turned away, leaving a very angry Thor to pound his fists against the barrier. It sparked with each hit, but not even the thunder god was capable of tearing down the magically-imbued barrier.

Loki’s mood immediately shifted. His green eyes gleamed as he clasped his hands behind his back. What could have Thor possibly done to upset the king? He did not think he would ever see the day that Odin locked up his golden son. Whatever had happened, it must have been serious. 

“It seems I’m not the only one with a talent for displeasing the All-Father.”

Those words gave Thor pause and he turned to look at his brother. His knuckles cracked as he clenched them tighter. Loki had done enough. He had many things to say about this, but his anger could not be put into any words right now.

Instead, he chose to _finally_ punch Loki in the face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can see whom the boys get their temper from. I do have to say that it’s a lot of fun to write Loki and Thor bantering. The two of them are going to be sharing a lot of screen time for a while, so get cozy. They have a lot to catch up on.
> 
> * * *
> 
>   * **Seidr -** ( _pronounced say-der _) - “cord, string, snare” – is a form of pre-Christian Norse magic and shamanism. [[SOURCE](http://norse-mythology.org/concepts/seidr/)] It was a type of sorcery which was practiced in Norse society during the Late Scandinavian Iron Age. Seidr practitioners were of both genders, although females are more widely attested. [[SOURCE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sei_r)]  
>  __
> __
>
>> _My take on seidr is, that it is the very essence of magic. It is what magical beings, like Loki, draw their powers from. The amount they have and the amount they can use varies on their level of skill. It also takes some time to replenish after usage, depending on the complexity of the spell. Under normal circumstances, Loki knows how to utilize his seidr to its fullest potential. However, as stated, he is currently injured and restricted—thus he cannot do much with it._
> 
> _ _ 



	3. Chapter 3

* * *

Loki flinched as he gingerly touched his nose. The bleeding had long stopped, but it still stung. He may have deserved it for several reasons, but nonetheless, he was getting quite sick of the blatant abuse. Had he not suffered already enough?

He tilted his head back to rest against the headboard of his bed. Thor had yet to utter a word to him since being trapped in here with him. Loki had expected him to continue and beat at the barrier, but instead he had long ceased and sat down on a stool, glaring out into the corridor like a sullen child.

This would normally would give him great satisfaction, but instead he was annoyed that he now had to share a space with his adoptive brother. It did not help that he still did not understand the reasoning behind it either. By now, Thor seemed less inclined to punch him for speaking. 

Loki clicked his tongue, hand smoothing the sheet under him. “Dare I ask what happened between you and Odin?”

“No.” 

The god of mischief pursed his lips, head now turned to Thor. He had been expecting some kind of rebuttal, but that response gave no room for questioning. It was usually very easy for him to read Thor, but the fact that he remained so demure was making it difficult to gauge anything.

But he would get an answer one way or another. If Thor would not speak to him about it, then he would have to change his mind. He threw his legs off the bed, causing enough commotion for Thor to finally throw him a glance.

Loki watched his frown deepen at his approach, but it made the situation somewhat sweeter. He paused, standing next to him and noted Thor’s shoulders tense. Loki bent slowly at the waist, aligning his head next to his so they were practically cheek-to-cheek. The proximity clearly unnerved Thor, but the trickster smiled and followed his gaze out to see what had garnered the attention of the thunder god. He was not surprised to find that he had been staring at the soldiers down the hall.

“You’re not going to get their attention just by looking at them.”

“I like you better when you’re not talking,” Thor snipped, shifting in his seat and attempting to place some distance between them. He briefly threw a look at Loki, before turning his attention back to the guards. 

Loki rolled his eyes and carefully sank to the floor. He saw Thor throw a wary glance his way but said nothing. He knew that Thor had at least figured out he was up to something, but it did not matter to him. The trickster feigned disinterest, choosing instead to flip open the book he had left on the floor. He held it up to his face, burying his nose in the pages as he absentmindedly flipped through. 

Thor was not blind—but Loki was also choosing to be quite transparent. A moment ticked by as the younger prince weighed his words and decided to speak once more. “Does Odin’s anger have anything to do with the mortal?” 

He was now peering over the pages of the book, his viridian eyes twinkling in humor and curiosity. The All-Father had always been biased when it came to Thor, so seeing him locked up was a mystery. He just wanted an answer—even if it meant that he would have to humor his brother in order to get it. Besides, it was not like there was much to do when you’re imprisoned. 

But Thor dodged the question. “I thought I had lost you once more.”

Loki sighed and dropped the book in his hands. He had been ready to humor him, but he was in no way going to exchange sentiments. He was in no mood for nostalgia and he was no longer that interested in having a conversation with the thunder god. But he had stood up a bit too fast and the abrupt movement caused a wave of pain to flash through his system. His hand reached for his abdomen and he cursed.

The guards really had no mercy for the likes of him. When they had seen him bleeding, they did nothing more than turn a blind eye to his misery. They just tossed him back into the cell and left him to rot. A part of Loki had hoped they would have at least sent a healer his way, but no one had come to his aid. He had no doubt that they knew that he would be unable to heal properly with the new restrictions in place. They wanted him to suffer and a part of that brought him some form of amusement, but mostly he felt angry. He could only afford to numb the pain he was experiencing if he wished to not waste all his remaining seidr. 

Thor eyed the wound, “An injury like that should have killed you.”

Loki knew that it should have, but it had not. He had been fortunate and it was ironic considering how his luck always tended to run. Loki chuckled. “Hel will not be embracing me so soon.”

Thor frowned, blue eyes now on Loki’s face. “A trickster cannot be so easily caught,” he mused, his words a mixture of cynicism and praise. The scorned prince said nothing in response, instead opted to return to his bed. He wished to lie down.

The moment that Loki sat down was the moment that Thor finally chose to answer his question from earlier. “I wish to return to Midgard, so I renounced the throne.”

That statement would have floored Loki if he had been standing, but instead, his gaze snapped onto Thor. He carefully processed the words that had just entered his ears—just how was _he_ the crazy one?

 _How…infuriating_.

Loki was suddenly feeling very livid.  Thor had been given the throne the moment he had been thrust into this world. He did not understand how he could just throw that all aside. It was disgraceful and he felt personally insulted just thinking about it.

But Thor was not done speaking. “This does not mean I would forget Asgard,” he clarified, “I will still defend this realm as a protector.” 

“Asgard needs a king, not a hero,” Loki bit acidly.

“They have our father.” 

Loki laughed at that. Thor is an even bigger idiot than he thought. “Ah, yes. All hail our decrepit king.” 

“He is old, not weak,” Thor defended, though he heard a level of uncertainty in his voice. Odin may not necessarily be weak, but he was not as powerful as he once was. The king had faced many enemies and wars and had survived them all, but age was an enemy that he could not win against. It was slowly becoming evident. The number of times that he fell into Odinsleep was becoming too much of a common occurrence. It was becoming problematic and it was even worse now without a queen to rule during his stagnation period. 

Asgard would suffer without a ruler, especially if the king fell into a slumber any time in the near future. It used to take him a few days to recover, but somehow, they slowly morphed into weeks. A kingdom could be crushed and conquered in that time period. Thor knew he could keep Asgard safe during that time, but if Odin kept him locked up than it would be impossible for him to protect anything. He could do nothing in this state. Odin was being quite cruel to keep him imprisoned like this.

Was he not allowed to be even a little selfish? For once, he was not letting his pride be a guide, but following his heart—there was no second-guessing the fact that he wished to be with Jane.

Thor just could not see himself as the king of Asgard any more, especially after experiencing what lay beyond. He should have a choice. He felt he was a part of something larger as an Avenger. He felt like he could do more as a hero than he could ever as a king. But the problem was, who could step up to replace Odin if he forfeited the crown? 

“You cannot protect the kingdom when you tie yourself to Midgard,” Loki interrupted his thoughts, “They don’t need protection; they need subjugation.”

“And yet, you were bested by them,” Thor boldly stated, rising to his feet, “I do not understand how you can still see them as your inferior. They may be mortal, but we are not eternal. Your beliefs make you no better than father and his archaic ways!”

“Don’t you dare compare me to _him_. He has never been my father!” Loki roared, vision beginning to blur from rage. He blamed the lack of control on the dark magic still swirling in his veins. He could feel the weight of it threatening to destroy his glimmer and a part of him was tempted to let it fall. Maybe then Thor could finally see the monster Odin had bought into Asgard. 

But he held fast to his guise, insecurities outweighed by his fury. He growled and flung himself off the bed, his back now to Thor. He stared down at his hands, noticing the hint of blue blemishing his fingertips. He clenched them.

Thor straightened, bracing himself for another lashing from Loki. He had attacked him earlier and nothing was stopping him from coming at him again. However, before he could say anything to his adoptive brother, the sound of metal clashing drew their attention.

The two of them shifted their focus to the dungeon corridor, the palpable tension cut shortly. They turned just in time to see the guards being knocked and thrown down by none other than Sif and the Warriors Three.

Thor looked on, a grin now plastered on his face. They had come to his rescue, but this did not please the trickster.

Loki stared, his anger still evident but no longer bristling. It bothered him that these warriors would go against the All-Father’s orders. Their loyalty remained with the prince, regardless of his choice and actions. Thor may not have been detained for a good reason, but it had been the king’s request.

He may not see eye-to-eye with Odin, but he did understand order.

“It must be nice to have allies willing to betray their king,” Loki remarked sneeringly, before looking away. It disgusted him. They had always favored Thor to such a degree that everyone else paled in comparison—mostly him. He knew they never actually cared about his presence. They did not need to conceal their revulsion of him. They had only tolerated him because they had been raised as brothers, but there was no need to play nice with him anymore.

Loki did not need to play nice either, but he knew he would have to be at least civil if he wished to escape from this hell. They may have broken the law to come and save their prince, but he refused to let an opportunity for his freedom to skate by. If they wished to save their precious Thor, they would have to save him as well. Loki may not appreciate their willingness to break the rules, but he was accustomed to bending them himself. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see them approaching the cell. 

“Thor!” Sif cried, running up to the barricade. The others followed in tow, smug and pleased that they had successfully infiltrated the dungeons. However, they blanched the moment they realized just what cell their friend was in. It made them come to an abrupt halt, the pleasure no longer on their faces as they looked upon the dark prince brooding behind their comrade. 

They had been surprised to hear from Heimdall that Thor had been imprisoned by his father, but not as surprised as they now were to see him in the same cell as the god of mischief. It was an unexpected turn of events.

And their unhappiness was evident, bringing a smile on Loki’s face. “What a pleasure to see you all too,” he remarked, stepping forward. His gaze fell on his former allies, silently challenging them to vocalize their animosity at finding him with Thor. 

Sif was the first one to react, drawing her sword from her sheath. “I’m only pleased for an opportunity to gut you like the scoundrel you are.”

Loki’s smile grew. It was no surprise that she would be the one to greet him with a threat. After all, Sif had always been the most vocal when it came to her feelings about him. She absolutely hated him.

“Calm down,” Thor softly ordered, clamping a hand down on Loki’s shoulder, “There will be no bloodshed amongst us.” He briefly squeezed, wordlessly urging the trickster to behave himself. “I do not wish to complicate matters any further for you all. Loki will not be a problem. He will continue his sentence just as Father has decided.”

“Yes, because we all know how much of a good boy he is,” Fandral stated, stepping forward and placing a hand on the barrier. He looked at the mischievous prince and contemplated if he should even bother bringing this wall down now. 

Loki jerked away from Thor, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. “I can behave.” There was a slight pause as his eyes glazed over them. He gauged their expressions, before deciding to speak once again.

It was now or nothing. 

“Besides, you’re going to need my help anyway.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but promise the next chapter will be coming shortly. You’ll be seeing some more of the changes in play soon and a wild Darcy should be appearing in the next installment.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

A fleeting moment of silence passed amongst them as they looked upon Loki with bemused and skeptical expressions. Volstagg was the first to trigger a train of laughter amongst his comrades as Loki stood eerily silent.

They were laughing at him. He was suddenly reminded of all the other times he had been the center of their gibes and felt his face begin to heat up with a mixture of rage and embarrassment. This wasn’t a game and their laughter stung, prodding him like a bull ready to retaliate. 

He felt his anger slowly bubble over.

“This isn’t a jest,” his icy voice cut the laughter short. They stilled, turning to look at one and other as Thor turned to look to his brother. 

His expression was now grim and serious as he stared at Loki. “And you know I cannot let you leave this cell.”

Loki scoffed. “Oh, but of _course_ not. I didn’t realize only the crowned prince can come and go as he pleases.”

“Father has—”

“ _Enough_ ,” Loki snapped, stepping up to evenly stare at Thor. “Do not say that you’re following orders when you’re more than willing to bend them to your liking. What kind of justice is that?” 

Thor exhaled heavily, squaring his shoulders. “Do you really want to compare morals? You have killed many and even attempted patricide. I was put in here because of unfair prejudices. You know better.”

“This does not change the fact you want to go against the king’s orders,” Loki indicated, turning his back to him with his hands clasped behind him. He threw a look at Thor, silently waiting for any sign of protest but there was only silence.

Thor felt himself wavering. He knew he would be going against his father, but was it alright to do so when his condition was far from well? His jaw clenched. Odin may be sick, but it did not change the fact that he was being held captive for objecting the role of king. He was put into a position which left him with little option.

He had also promised Jane that he would return. How would he be able to keep his word if he remained trapped here?

Loki continued to speak, “And how do you expect to leave Asgard with Heimdall at the gate? He may have helped you in the past, but I doubt he’ll turn a blind eye for you once again. Odin is already disappointed in him. He cannot risk treason once more. We both know this.”

“Leave Asgard?” Sif questioned. This was the first time they had heard any of this themselves.

“Is it true, Thor?” Fandral asked, taking a step back from the barrier to assess his friend’s face, “Do you really plan on leaving Asgard?”

Thor pinched the bridge of his nose, slightly annoyed that he had not been the one to share the news. He shot a withering look at Loki. 

“Yes,” he answered, turning to his friends, “I belong on Midgard, but Asgard will always be my home. Just because I choose to leave it, does not mean I will stop protecting it.”

Sif’s brown eyes hardened at the mention of Midgard. “Is it over that mortal?” She knew how much the woman of science meant to the Asgardian hero. Thor always spoke so fondly about Jane and while it pained to hear it, she really was no competition for a woman holding his heart.

“No, not entirely because of Jane,” Thor licked his lips and continued, “I owe my services to all the realms. I can simply do more as an Avenger, rather than as a king sitting upon a throne.” 

The female Asgardian did not seem very pleased with his answer but said nothing more. While she approved of Thor’s wishes to protect the nine realms, she did not approve of him uprooting himself from his home to do so. However, if he truly wanted to leave then she could not stand in his way.

“I suppose that explains why you winded up in here,” Volstagg commented, tapping the barrier lightly with his knuckles. The wall glistened in reaction. 

“You will not be able to reach Midgard without my assistance,” Loki suddenly chimed, his head tilted and expression cool, “As you all should be aware by now, I’m the only one who knows of the hidden passages between the realms.”

Sif narrowed her eyes and drew her sword, “Then it is best if you tell us now.”

The end of her sword brushed against the barrier, sending a shockwave of electricity up its surface. The unexpected shot forced her to drop the weapon immediately, leaving her cursing and cradling her hand. She shot daggers up at the chuckling dark prince.

Loki wagged his finger mockingly at her. “I thought you were much brighter than that, silly girl. Did you forget that the magic here does not react well to weaponry?” he smiled and continued, “You really are all truly hopeless without my knowledge.” 

The female warrior snarled, ready to pounce on the barrier but Hogun held her back with his arm. It only took a moment for her to calm down, before she shot a glance over at her ally, daring him to explain himself.

“He does have a point. It is best if we take him along with us,” his expression hardened, “However, we must continue to keep our guard up.”

The Vanir warrior scowled at the disgraced prince as he released Sif from his grasp. He had always let logic dictate his reasoning and in the case of Thor’s escape from Asgard, Loki would be needed whether they liked it or not.

“I knew there was a reason why I liked you,” Loki claimed delightfully before turning to Fandral with a smile on his lips. “I believe you heard him.”

“It does not mean I agree,” Fandral snapped back, distaste more than evident in his voice. “We cannot let him tag along freely. What is to say he will not run off as soon as he’s given a chance? We cannot trust him.”

And then they were back to square one once again, leaving Loki to sigh with exasperation. Did they not understand they needed his aid? Of course, he also needed their help just as much. He had no desire to rot away in an Asgardian prison.

The god of thunder had been quiet for a while, mulling over their predicament. It was true that Heimdall would not turn his back on the king once more—he had already assisted them in escaping Asgard before. The sentry had already done more than enough for them. “We do not have much of a choice,” he shot a look at Loki, “I know you will not give up that knowledge willingly.”

The god of lies merely shrugged, a mischievous smile on his face. “Now what kind of trickster would I be if I didn’t have an ace up my sleeve?”

Thor frowned as they all contemplated the current dilemma. They knew that once this wall was down, things could go south fast if they did not have the upper hand. Loki held steadfast to his cards. The king may not keep his son locked away forever, but he would certainly not let him leave Asgard. It was foolish to assume Heimdall would risk helping them once more.

However, now they had another issue on hand—Loki. The god of mischief would not simply stand idly by and allow them to leave without following suit. They may outnumber him, but he was a cunning snake that would be a nuisance to deal with regardless of their advantage—and they could not afford to draw any further unwanted attention.

They needed to leave soon. They were already squabbling away too much of their time trying to decide on what to do. Loki would need to come along if they are to escape, but it was not so easy. The major problem was that once the two were free, what would Loki do? Nothing was stopping him from doing whatever he pleased. He may guide the way out of Asgard, but there was nothing stopping Loki from harming Thor once they were out.

“I think I have an idea,” Volstagg unexpectedly declared as he disappeared down the hall.

* * *

Darcy Lewis was tired. She had already spent a majority of the evening typing out the research Jane had passed off to her and it didn’t seem like she would be able to stop anytime soon. Jane had not stopped scribbling furiously in her notebook since early afternoon and Darcy knew why. The older woman was trying to cope over a missing Thor, who was taking his sweet time to come home.

He had promised them a few hours and Jane had hoped he would be there when she awoke in the morning, but as that day came to a conclusion he was still nowhere to be found. It made Darcy just as frustrated as Jane was feeling, and she was certain that the older woman would ring his neck when he finally decided to show his face.

“I knew it!” Jane suddenly boldly cried, tossing her notebook across the desk and bolting outside to the veranda. Darcy stilled, listening in on her stomping up onto the rooftop. There was no doubt she was seeking the comfort of the stars above.

Thor had promised that he would return in a few hours, but a whole day had already passed. Darcy knew they shouldn’t be jumping to conclusions, but she also knew how frustrated the astrophysicist had become when it came to the otherworldly prince. He may have unresolved matters to deal with, but he had also given her his word—and as each hour ticked by, she was beginning to doubt that he would stick to it.

Darcy sighed, calmly placing her laptop down on the couch and following pursuit. She had been expecting a meltdown to have happened sooner than it had. It had been inevitable. She knew Jane was far from okay, especially considering how she ticked for the majority of the day. The scientist went into overload when she was stressed, but it was far from productive. 

Jane wasn’t okay, and she would not be okay until a certain Norse god returned. 

However, she had a sinking suspicion that he would end up being a no-show once more and Darcy would be left to deal with the aftermath again. After all, she had been the one to help Jane cope last time Thor had abandoned her.

And Erik and Ian had already bailed on them for the evening. Dr. Selvig decided he needed a drink after everything that has happened these last few days. He had stepped out a few hours ago to the local pub with her intern in tow, who felt inclined to watch after the older man. So, while the boys were out getting inebriated, she was stuck at home dealing with an emotional crisis. 

When she had agreed to redo her internship with Dr. Foster, she hadn’t expected a repeat of New Mexico. She sighed. She was the one who really needed a drink.

“Maybe he just got caught up in space traffic?” Darcy lamely offered, trying to lighten the dampened mood. Jane mere threw a scowl over her shoulder and sank further down into the lawn chair. It was evident on her face that she was in no mood for humor. 

“Why do I even bother believing him?” she asked, exasperated with everything that had gone down these past few days. Her eyes shifted toward the night sky and she frowned. While the astrophysicist sought the comfort of the stars, it was hard to see any of them through the smog. It was no wonder she had bailed England the moment her father had offered her a chance to come and live with him in the States. She could not pursue the galaxies if everything was hidden behind a curtain of fog. 

Jane’s frown deepened as she continued to stare out. She was silently hoping that her questionable boyfriend would pick up on her annoyance and return already. It was hard enough having feelings for someone, but it was even worse when that certain someone was from another realm. 

The young intern decided that they both needed a drink and emerged a moment later with a bottle of wine in one hand and a set of glasses in the other. If they couldn’t celebrate a reunion, then they could certainly mourn over being abandoned—or at least Jane could, while Darcy questioned how the hell she had been roped into nearly dying in the name of science.

But, there was a bright side to this all. Her intern Ian had saved her from death, but that also led to some complications. She had sent him the absolute wrong message in the process when she had kissed him. In actuality, she had zero interest in dating anyone at the moment. It seemed that he had a bit of a crush on her now, but Darcy refused to let that become a thing between them. She had no time to deal with boys when she was so close to finally graduating. There was just one more semester to go and then she would be home free. 

Well, kind of. 

It didn’t feel right to abandon Jane either, but it was an internship. She may have had to redo her summer credits, but she hadn’t minded all that much. It gave her an opportunity to work with Jane again and the two had bonded in the process. Darcy may not be a scientist, but she did enjoy working with Dr. Foster. It just seemed like a good idea to continue working with her even after she finished school. Darcy figured it couldn’t get any better, at least until she found a job within her major.

Besides, she had learned a lot during her time with Jane. She also understood now more than ever that Jane not only needed her to keep the data logs in order but to also keep her sanity in check.

She nudged Jane with the open bottle, causing the woman to look at her. She glanced at her face and then the bottle, before swiping it out of her grasp. Darcy gaped as she witnessed Jane cock her head back and take a deep swig.

It took a moment for her to recover from the sight before she ripped the bottle away from her and scolded the older woman. “Whoa, take it easy there.”

And this was one of the reasons why she was needed. Jane may be a stunning intellectual, but she was an emotional mess. She needed her. Jane was obsessive when it came to things on her mind. She could become so invested and absorbed in whatever ran through that head of hers—and there was no doubt that at this very moment a certain Asgardian’s name was blaring repeatedly in her head.

Jane coughed, covering her mouth and wiping with the back of her hand before sliding it up to cover her eyes in shame. “I’m so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid. You just miss the space beefcake,” Darcy quipped, sinking down in the adjacent seat. She glimpsed down at the wine bottle, before deciding to take a swig herself. There didn’t seem a point to use the wine glasses she had bought, especially seeing now that Jane behaved very much like how she did when she was cradling a heartache.

Darcy made a face when the taste of the cheap wine hit her taste buds, but she decided to not express her opinion on it. The taste of booze would not matter so much after a couple more drinks since it was being used to numb thoughts and feelings. It usually did the trick for Darcy after a bad breakup. The young brunette cautiously handed the bottle back to her boss.

Jane’s face puckered as she took another swig and handed it back. “Technically, we haven’t even had a proper date. I know I really shouldn’t be getting this worked up over him, but yet here I am.” 

“That’s because you’re madly in love with each other.”

Jane glared. “Not helping.”

Darcy grinned sheepishly and cradled the bottle between her thighs. She watched Jane sigh and pull her knees to her chest as she stared blankly ahead. The intern knew that she would not be feeling better any time soon. What was Thor’s excuse now? She looked up at the sky with a contemplative look on her face. 

“We could try to find a wormhole to jump through. The Convergence isn’t quite over, is it?” Darcy suggested with good humor, “Maybe one will dump us in Asgard and you can give him a piece of your mind.”

It made Jane smile for a fleeting moment before the scientist woefully shook her head. “It isn’t that simple. There is no way to calculate where the wormhole may lead us.”

The young woman’s eyebrows shot up. While she had been joking, it seemed Jane had given this some serious thought. She didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing, but she said nothing. They sat in silence for a while, exchanging the bottle back and forth between them. It didn’t take long for a buzz to hit Jane and cause her to finally break down. 

Her stifled sob broke the silence. “God, I hate men.” She sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve. “Why do they all end up being such a sod? I have the absolute worst luck.” 

Darcy would have cracked a laugh at her choice of words—if it weren’t for the fact that the older woman had begun weeping. She sat up and put a comforting hand on her back.

“What about the dude you were on a date with before? He didn’t seem terrible.”

Jane blinked, wiping a stray tear away from her reddening cheek. Her brows knitted together as she contemplated the question. “Are you talking about Richard?” 

“Uh, yes?”

Darcy actually had no clue if that was his name, but it was safe to assume that Jane hadn’t really had the chance to go on many dates as of late. It didn’t occur to her to even ask about him before because she had always held out for Thor’s return. The god of thunder may have broken Jane’s heart before, but Darcy didn’t think he ever meant to.

But doing It again? The Avenger was really forcing her to reconsider forgiving him.

“I guess,” Jane mumbled, as the last of her tears ceased. She stared blankly at the more than half empty bottle on her lap. “He’s kind of sweet. I could ask if he’d like to go out again.”

“You should,” her intern replied, hoping that this was a push toward something good. At this point, she didn’t want Jane having another meltdown. It saddened her to hear Jane crying over Thor.

Perhaps, alcohol had been a bad choice.

Jane suddenly seemed to be aware of that decision and handed the bottle back to Darcy. She made no attempt to reach for the drink again and instead the two sat in silence for a bit longer, staring out into the city.

Jane slowly got to her feet. “I’m going to bed,” she stated softly, forcing a weak smile. “Thank you, Darcy.”

She wished her a goodnight, before leaving the younger woman to her own thoughts. The intern sighed and closed her eyes as she swished the drink in her grasp. There was not much left in the small bottle. She decided that it would be best to just finish the rest off by herself.

She had hoped Jane would eventually get over Thor, but that seemed impossible. The scientist was head-over-heels for him, to the point that she had desperately tinkered away for months trying to build her very own bridge to Asgard. If that wasn’t love, she didn’t know what is. Darcy may be mad at Thor right now, but she knew deep down that he genuinely did care for Jane. He had, after all, appeared out of the blue when she had been in trouble. Darcy just couldn’t understand how he wasn’t here right now. Call her a romantic, but the two really did belong with each other. They were literally the embodiment of a fairytale when you really took a look at them. 

But Darcy’s expression turned solemn when she remembered her suggestion to Jane. She knew the older woman was suffering from a heartache and wanted nothing more than to help her get over the alien prince. So why did it feel like she had just betrayed the sanctity of true love?

She sighed and found herself staring down at the empty bottle with regret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Darcy and Jane have finally made an appearance! Sorry this update took a little longer than usual. I got stuck in the editing phase, because I was changing up some of my plans and had to make sure I didn't hit a plothole later. Anyway, the next chapter is still in the works, so it'll take me a bit to get things sorted fully out. In the meantime, hope this chapter was enjoyable.
> 
> * * *
> 
>   * **Skáldskaparmal -** ( _pronounced skaldskaparˌmɒːl _) - “Sif's Golden Hair” – So, in Norse mythology Sif is the wife of Thor, but she was very unfaithful. She apparently slept with Loki, who decided to cut off her beautiful gold hair to show her husband that she was a cheating whore. However, due to Loki's reputation no one believed him. Thor threatened to kill Loki if he didn't replace her hair, and so he got the dwarves to make her new hair, except it ended up being black. [[SOURCE](http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre05.htm)]  
>  __
> __
>
>> _Obviously, the cinematic universe has changed the role of Sif. She's a warrior now and while it is hinted that she has feelings for Thor, she's not married to him. I'd like to think that Loki pulled a cruel prank on Sif in their youth and chopped off her hair, so when he tried to fix it he ended up making it worse-it ended up black and it was irreversible due to the magical properties behind the spell. Of course, Sif's learn to embrace her hair by now but nonetheless she is still salty with Loki._
> 
> _ _ 



	5. Chapter 5

* * *

“Well, isn’t this awkward.”

Loki shifted, the chains around his wrists rattling as he stared at his adoptive brother. The warriors had decided that because he had to accompany them, that it would not be wise with allowing him to walk freely. The conclusion led them to Volstagg suggesting the atrocious shackles and Loki had no other option but to wear them if he wished to leave this dreadful imprisonment.

Granted, he didn’t blame them for their distrust but that did not mean he liked the situation very much either. The uru manacles hindered his magic completely, leaving him to suffer from previous injuries. He grunted when he felt the sharp, reminding ache at his torso. Nothing could be done to ease that pain, but he supposed he would have to deal with it for now. 

It definitely was worth it if it meant watching Thor make a mockery of himself. The corner of his lips twitched as he watched the god of thunder stand with an arm outstretched. The desperation on Thor’s face was amusing, to say the least. He had not wasted any time, summoning Mjölnir the moment they had secured Loki. However, time ticked by and there was no sign of his hammer.

“Just wait for it,” Thor ordered, his eyes trained up the hall. “Mjölnir has never failed me.” 

That bit had always been true. Whenever Thor called for the hammer it always came, regardless of what the situation was like. It should have returned to him by now, but there was nothing but eerie silence. Something was amiss, and it slowly dawned on Loki what may be the problem. 

“Failure is always a probability,” Loki corrected.

“Not with Mjölnir,” Thor declared, throwing a biting look at his younger brother. “I command it.”

“Yes, but unless you have forgotten you are not the only person who does. Odin is perfectly capable of controlling it, considering he is the one who enchanted it in the first place.”

Thor’s expression hardened as he let his arm drop. “Are you telling me father has Mjölnir?” 

“It is a possibility, yes,” Loki paused, inspecting the runes on his manacles. “But very unlikely considering his condition. By now, he most likely placed it back where it had been before.” 

Thor looked ready to yell at Loki for not elaborating, but then seemed to have realized what he meant. "The treasure room."

“Precisely.”

“You said it is a possibility,” Fandral pointed out. He certainly looked less than pleased at the thought of wandering into Odin’s treasure room to fetch the hammer. The initial Destroyer had nearly killed Thor. He did not want to think of what this new Destroyer was capable of. He just knew it would be hostile toward any intruder—whether it be friend or foe. After all, it’s job is to protect all the stolen war artifacts and relics that had been collected over the centuries. It was a dangerous place to trespass.

“Yes, but it is also where we need to go in order to leave Asgard,” Loki pointed out.

“This is clearly a trap,” Sif stated skeptically as she grabbed at Loki’s chains and pulled him toward her. “Am I wrong?”

Loki hissed, not appreciating being handled in such a way when he was already incapacitated. His jaw was held tight as he ground out his next words. “The Frost Giants that died in there would certainly argue so.”

The trickster did not add the fact that it was he who had informed their sworn enemies of the passageway in the first place. They did not need to know that he had been the one who ruined Thor’s coronation. In fact, it seemed he had done Thor a great service by denying him the crown all along.

Sif threw a withering look at him before shoving him away. “You lead us to danger.”

“But I cannot leave without Mjölnir,” Thor claimed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “We don’t have a choice.”

“Then let us get going,” Loki said as he turned on his heel. Thor did not hesitate to follow, leaving the others to throw a wary glance at each other before following suit.

* * *

Darcy woke up feeling like she had downed a box of cotton balls. She groaned and licked her chapped lips. Why the hell did she finish that bottle by herself? Oh, right. It was because she may have just single-handedly destroyed Jane and Thor’s relationship.

She swore and covered her face with a hand as she recalled bits and pieces of last night’s conversation. The brunette only hoped that Jane had paid no heed to her logic. She had been slightly inebriated and annoyed with Thor when she had suggested that her friend move on. While it would be good for Jane to get back into the dating scene, she silently hoped that if Thor did show back up the scientist would not be so quick to cast him aside. As much as she hated him right now, they were really good for each other. He brightened her world. And that was saying something, considering the older woman’s first love had been science before he came tumbling down from the sky.

She glanced over at the digital clock on her side table. It was just a little after noon and she was surprised that Jane had not woken her by now. Had the astrophysicist slept in too? There was only one way to find out.

The young intern forced herself out of bed and padded carefully out of the room. She poked her head into Jane’s room, only to find an unmade bed and no scientist in sight. At least the older woman had gotten some sleep, but Darcy wasn’t sure just how much. She turned away and headed down the hall.

It was eerily quiet. Where was Jane? And had Erik come home last night? She answered the latter question as she stepped into the living room. She found the old scientist lying face down on the sofa, sans pants. She made a face and turned away quickly from the view. That was not a visual she wished to start her day with. Thankfully, her eyes had turned to land on sleeping intern who was snoring in the recliner by the window—more than likely Ian had been too wasted to stumble back to his place and had decided to crash here for the night.

However, there was still no Jane around and she knew the scientist was awake. Darcy shoved her bare feet into some shoes and wandered out onto the veranda. If Jane was not inside, she had to be out here. The young woman clambered up the metal walkway to the roof and immediately was met with the sight of Dr. Foster pacing around with a device in her hands. _Typical_.

Darcy decided not to make her presence known quite yet and instead helped herself to Jane’s mug of coffee. Some caffeine sounded great right about now. However, as soon as the drink was in her mouth she blanched and began to gag on the taste.

“Darcy?” Jane asked, realizing that she was no longer alone. The woman turned her attention to her intern.

“ _Ugh_ ,” the brunette retched, “How do you screw up coffee?” It may have been terrible, but it certainly had woken her right up. The burnt flavor lingered on her tongue as she put the mug back down on the table. 

“I didn’t want to wake the boys up, so I just reheated a cup of yesterday’s batch in the microwave,” she clarified. Darcy looked at her horrified. That had to be a sin. But before the intern could complain, Jane continued. “But that’s not important. I think I finally figured something out with this thing.”

The older woman walked over to the makeshift table and flipped through her open binder until she found what she was looking for. Darcy leaned over to take a better peek. It wasn’t like she was going to make much sense of it anyway. She didn’t understand a lot of the scientific vocabulary and it certainly did not help that Jane’s penmanship was hard to decipher. 

“What am I looking at?” Darcy questioned as she squinted her eyes. Jane’s finger was pointing at some abstract sketch of the device in her other hand.

“I went back to my notes on the Einstein-Rosen Bridge and was trying to see if I could combine that data with the information we have collected now on the Convergence,” she paused and put the contraption down on the table. “The Convergence happens because the planets align in a certain way that causes dimensional boundaries to cross. And that had me thinking that maybe if I tweaked something here to line up with something else, I may finally get it to work.”

She sounded a bit exasperated as she blurted out her idea. That did not stop her from scribbling something else down in the margin and flipping through the next few pages. Jane seemed to have forgotten Darcy momentarily as she began to cross out some data she now deemed worthless.

It was a bit odd. Jane was no inventor, and yet here she was trying to build a device to open her own wormhole. She had begun tinkering around with the project the moment Thor had left, but when she realized the prince was not returning she had been quick to discard the thing and focus on her research instead. However, it seemed that she was back to fidgeting with a part of the machine and trying to figure out just how to bring her research to life.

Darcy blinked. “Are you…trying to make that bridge now?”

Jane suddenly became very sheepish, sinking down into the lawn chair behind her. “Last night had me thinking that maybe something bad may have happened. Maybe the bridge was destroyed again?” her amber eyes drifted, “I know it is highly improbable, but it can still happen. I figured instead of just sitting around angry and moping I would try to find some answers myself.” 

Darcy didn’t like the desperation in her voice, but she could not think of anything to say to that. Part of her was glad that she had not ruined Jane’s relationship with Thor, but the other part of her hated hearing Jane sounding so pitiful. While she dearly hoped that Thor had a good reason for not returning, it seemed unrealistic that the same bridge would be smashed once more. Jane had told her that Thor had destroyed it during a scuttle with Loki, but that they had managed to rebuild it using the Tesseract. It seemed unlikely that something bad would happen now that Loki was dead.

However, Darcy kept those thoughts to herself. Instead, she picked up the mug and poured the contents down onto the concrete floor. “So, I’m going to go and make us some _fresh_ coffee and when I’m back we’re going to get to work.” 

She could have expressed her objections, but she decided that she wasn’t going to be that voice of reason—instead, she was going to ride on that sinking ship. As farfetched as things sounded, it would do Jane a whole lot of good to work rather than mope around for the next few weeks. Darcy did not want to deal with that Jane again. 

The scientist grinned at her and Darcy couldn’t help but smile back. She was happy to see that Jane was already in better spirits and this project seemed to do more good than harm anyway. 

And the young intern certainly liked when Jane was happy.

* * *

The warriors stood by the door, eyeing the heavy chains that kept Loki at bay. It had been a miracle that they had gotten this far with the ruckus he caused, but they knew it would be a huge problem when it came to the Destroyer. It would be impossible for them to walk into the vault undetected when those chains would surely be a dead giveaway.

“We can leave him behind,” Fandral suggested. 

Sif clasped her hand around the handle of her sword. “Did he not say the passageway lies in there. Do we even need him anymore?” Sif asked, her steely eyes flashing at the wayward prince. She was thirsty for his blood. 

“And you act as if I’ll tell you just where it exactly is.”

Thor stepped in front of Sif as the female warrior drew out her sword. “Be calm. You know how he is,” Thor urged her sword back and glanced over his shoulder at his adoptive brother. “We, unfortunately, need his help.”

The dark-haired prince gave a little mock bow in response, before holding his arms out. It was about time they removed these shackles. “The more time we waste, the harder it will become to escape.”

He knew no one would object to that logic. For all they knew, the unconscious guards had more than likely alerted the others of their escape. It was just a matter of time before they realized just where they had run off to. 

Thor turned to face Loki, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the bindings. The god of mischief rattled his shackles once more, waiting for his impending release.

“I am not taking them off,” Thor claimed, grabbing his younger brother’s arm instead and pulling him along as Volstagg and Hogun pushed the doors ajar. “You are to remain still by the door until I get Mjölnir back.”

Loki stumbled briefly, before allowing the blonde warrior to drag him inside the vault. They all stopped, closing the doors behind them as they look down the large flight of steps that spiraled deeper down into the labyrinth. While Odin’s treasure room held relics of past wars, none of them were that easily accessible. It was designed to keep those who did not belong trapped and because the two of them had ventured many times in their youth, they were very aware of the twists and turn it had. They would not get lost like a common thief would.

“Volstagg, stay with him,” Thor commanded as the others followed him down the stairs. Of course, the large warrior did not object to babysitting duty and instead turned a scrutinizing gaze onto the trickster. Loki had not said anything the entire time, his expression surprisingly neutral for someone boiling inside. It had been wise of Thor to leave someone behind with him. If he had not, nothing would have stopped him from escaping all by himself and leaving the others to deal with the mess. The chains may restrict his magic, but he would have found a way out of them the next opportunity he had. 

If anything, that opportunity just may come sooner than later. Thor may have been smart leaving someone to keep watch, but Volstagg had been a poor candidate. The warrior may be one of the oldest and wisest of the bunch, but he also had the biggest heart—taking advantage of that was all too easy, but it was still too soon to make such a move.

Instead, Loki waited with strained ears. While he may not be able to see them, he could still hear them. They worried that he would cause a ruckus, but their armor could be just as loud. He could hear every clink and clank with each step taken. If they did not watch it, they would be detected in no time—and yet, he could have made things so much easier with a simple spell or two.

But alas, they wished to cast him aside instead. They wanted to do things their own way. And for that they’ll learn soon enough that it had been a mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will have a bit of action. Stay tuned.
> 
> * * *
> 
>   * **Uru -** ( _pronounced oo-roo _) - is a metal ore in the Marvel universe that is unique to Nidavellir (realm of the dwarves). It resembles stone, but it also seems to have metallic properties. It seems able to store most energies, particularly magic. [[SOURCE](http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Uru)]  
>  __
> __
>   * **The Destroyer -** ( _as seen in **Thor** _) - it is a suit of Asgardian armor, animated by magic. It is said to be created by Odin. It is forged of an unknown metal and enchanted to be more durable than uru. [[SOURCE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destroyer_\(Thor\))]  
>  __
> _
>
>> __So, I felt like I should elaborate on this. The initial Destroyer was destroyed back in the first_ **Thor** _movie. However, the screenwriter for_ **Thor: Ragnarok** _claimed that they were going to have a showdown between Hela and the Destroyer but that was scrapped because it would have been too much [[SOURCE](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/big-reveal-nixed-romance-noodle-worm-cut-added-thor-ragnarok-170636900.html) | [SOURCE](https://screenrant.com/hela-destroyer-thor-ragnarok/)]. This implies, at least to me, that Odin may have made a new Destroyer to replace the old one. I couldn't really find anything to support this. However, it should be noted that Mjölnir has been destroyed more than 10 times and replaced 4 times [[SOURCE](https://www.cbr.com/destroyed-mjolnir-replaced/)]—thus, I don't see why a suit of armor couldn't be replaced either given how strong Odin actually is (see: [Odinforce](http://marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Odinforce))__
> 
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	6. Chapter 6

* * *

There was an eerie silence as Thor approached the pedestal that Mjölnir lay upon. Loki had actually not led them astray and had been right about the whereabouts of the hammer. He did not want to think of what he would have done had they failed to find it. 

He wasted no time and took hold of the hammer. It felt good to have Mjölnir back in his possession. He did not know what his father had wanted to do by keeping him here, but he would learn soon that he had departed from Asgard.

It was time to take his leave.

However, as Thor turned to look to his allies, something in the vault seemed to have stirred to life. A loud metallic groan echoed from the shadowed corner, causing them all to freeze. 

“The Destroyer,” Hogun hisses with warning. 

Thor had been certain that they would remain undetected, considering that he knew the vault like the back of his hand. Unfortunately, he seemed to have forgotten how his father took extra precautions when it came to his collection. There was no doubt taking Mjölnir had triggered some kind of alarm.

The god of thunder narrowed his eyes as he heard the heavy footfalls of the armor creep closer. He turned his head just in time to see a bolt of energy shatter the pedestal next to him. He quickly held his arm up to shield his eyes from the flying debris, just as the iron giant finally came into view. It stood in the corridor, it’s attention fully focused on the thieving group.

“This isn’t good,” Fandral muttered as he took a step back. It was a bit too late to run, especially when the beast had the advantage. Their exit lay behind it. “What do we do?” 

There was no way they would go down without a fight. Thor rocked his shoulders, before winding back his arm, hammer spinning. The room slowly began to darken as the air shifted and electricity rippled from the weapon. He knew their chances of running unscathed from this was low—but he was also not one to run away from an impending battle. It was against his code. With a cry, he whipped Mjölnir straight into the Destroyer’s chest, just as the others drew their own weapons out.

A loud crack resonated loudly as the hammer collided with the Destroyer, but the direct hit seemed to have done nothing more than push it back a few feet. The iron sentry straightened itself upright once more, showing no signs of wear or damage. Thor furrowed his brows.

This was going to be a problem.

* * *

Loki did not need to strain his ears to hear the loud commotion happening. There was no doubt the Destroyer had found the warriors. It had been inevitable with their tact. And as per usual, he knew his adoptive brother refused to flee from a fight.

The vault seemed to shake as thunder rumbled loudly. Volstagg threw a weary glance down the flight of stairs. It was sufficing to say that the hammer was back in Thor’s possession and reclaiming it had triggered an even bigger problem.

Trouble may have found the warriors, but this was a golden opportunity for the trickster to escape. He shifted, green eyes flashing before turning his full attention to Volstagg. 

“Are you not going to help them?” Loki questioned, shackles rattling as he directed his arms toward the commotion. “Can’t you hear they’re under attack?”

His words were perfectly chosen to plant seeds of uncertainty and concern. He knew the red-bearded Aesir could never turn a blind eye to his comrades, especially in times of danger. Thor may have had him stay behind, but the lot of them had a hero complex itching to aid any person in need. They were incapable of standing idly by.

And that kind of conviction, while admirable, provided him with just the right amount of leverage to manipulate. Volstagg suddenly stilled, his bushy eyebrows furrowing as he looked between Loki and the flight of steps. He seemed to cave into his instincts the moment he heard the sound of lightning crackling in the distance once again. He cursed, grabbing Loki by his chains and dragging him along. It did not matter if they would make a ruckus now, they had already been compromised. 

Loki may have convinced Volstagg to venture into the trophy room, but he had no plans to stay by his side for much longer. His gaze briefly shifted elsewhere, before he is violently yanked toward the chaos. Loki did not like his odds, as they rounded the corner and came to face the back of the Destroyer. 

It was clear that the others were cornered, but that did not stop the armor from turning its focus onto the two of them. Volstagg took a precautious step back, letting go of Loki as he reached for his axe. The warrior drew his arm up, but before he even has a chance to do anything with it, the Destroyer shoots at them. The two of them dive opposite directions to dodge the hit.

It was time to make a move.

Loki stumbled briefly, before gleefully adjusting his footing and sprinting back the path they had come from. The trickster vaguely heard Volstagg’s cries to cease but dared not stop. He disappeared into the labyrinth before the older fighter could collect himself. 

“Fools,” the trickster muttered. Thor may have faced and won against such a suit of armor before, but circumstances had been different then. They were in its domain now. It would take a lot more than the mighty Mjölnir to take down something forged by Odin.

He glanced back over his shoulder. He figured Volstagg had given chase, but he was a lot quicker than the burly warrior. The mischief-maker would not be so quickly caught. Besides, he had an idea. It was certainly not foolproof, but it was harmless to try.

Loki turned at the next corner and stilled in front of a casket. It lay harmlessly on the pedestal before him, looking like an opportune object to pluck for a thief—but the Casket of Ancient Winters was a dangerous relic stolen from Jötunheim. It was a dangerous tool that could plunge an entire realm into an ice age and it was his golden ticket to freedom. 

His mood took a somber turn as memories flooded his mind. He had learned not too long ago what he was, but never came to truly accept it. It was easier to deny it, rather than accept the fact that he was the very monster that he had been raised to loathe and fear. What a cruel thing for Odin to have reared him to despise the very thing he was.

Loki’s eyes glazed over as he reached down for the casket. He may have not accepted what he was, but that did not mean he could not use it to his advantage. He gripped the handles firmly and watched his skin turn blue as frost crawled up his arms and bit at his chains. He clenched his jaw with detest and swallowed back his self-loathing.

The only way to beat magic was with magic itself and the intense cold that spilled from the artifact was anything but normal. He let out a shaky breath, placing the relic carefully back and took a step back, bracing himself as he snapped the frozen chains. Not a second wasted, he tore and pried the broken bindings off his wrist.

This was much better _._

Loki happily watched the blue fade away, as he rubbed his tender wrists. He could feel his senses buzz as his magic slowly began flowing freely through his veins. The trickster flexed his fingers, green energy crackling from his fingertips. As tempting as it was to just leave, it seemed that it would be best to assist Thor and his friends. 

But first, he needed to pick up a little _something_ for all his troubles. 

* * *

Volstagg yelped, nearly lobbing Loki's head off when the trickster phased through the wall adjacent to him. Loki threw a bemused expression at the wedged axe. The warrior narrowed his eyes when he realized the wayward prince was no longer cuffed.

“ _How_ —”

“I told you I would be more useful with my magic,” he claimed, his body glowing green as a clone stepped forth from him. He sent the doppelganger ahead, before cloaking himself and following closely by. He was not shocked to see Thor still fighting the Destroyer, but it seemed there had been a causality. Loki spotted Hogun clutching a hand to his bleeding shoulder.

“Over here!” the clone cried, running at the Destroyer. The god of thunder stilled, pure shock rushing onto his face upon seeing Loki sans chains. However, he dared not say anything as he watched the trickster shoot a blast of magic at the sentient. It jerked in reaction, but like Mjölnir, did no actual damage.

The copy flashed a grin at the metal beast, spreading his arms out in flashy mockery. “Give me your best shot.” 

The Destroyer seemed to have taken the bait, its full attention now on the clone. It stepped closer, glowing a bright red as it prepared to execute him. Thor gaped, ready to pounce to the illusion’s rescue, but Loki quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back. The blonde prince was momentarily confused, throwing a look over his shoulder at the copy.

“You should have run,” Loki quipped, no longer invisible. He guided Thor toward their exit and watched the others follow suit from the corner of his eye. Sif seemed far from amused, but she was preoccupied with aiding an injured Hogun to say anything.

There was no time to waste and no room for complaints. The group quickly scurried away from the Destroyer right in time to hear the expected blast go off behind them. The air around them turned warm very suddenly, but no one dared stop to pay mind to that. They hurried on, with Loki guiding them away. It would not take very long for the Destroyer to come after them, so putting distance between them was crucial.

“Quickly,” Loki hissed, hurrying them toward the direction of the hidden passageway. It was the very same one that Frost Giants had crawled out of. He knew Odin had his suspicions about how they had gotten in, but no one had located the path. But, how could they? The passage was hidden by an illusion.

The group halted at they reached a dead end. The trophy room lay deep under the palace, built within a cavern full of pitfalls that would certainly end in death. It made it difficult for trespassers to escape the Destroyer—so, it was no surprise that they suddenly felt doomed as they glanced down at the depths below. There was nowhere to run.

“This is a dead end,” Fandral pointed out, his voice strained. They all turned their attention onto the dark-haired prince, waiting to hear why they were led here. Loki simply smiled and raised a hand up. His attention turned to the stone tiles nearby, as his hands guided the them to detach from the wall. They dangled in the air momentarily, before shifting and crafting a makeshift bridge across the deep chasm.

The trickster begun crossing the bridge without another word, as the others looked at one and other warily. Thor did not share their hesitation, choosing to follow behind Loki before the other warriors could decide if it was safe. They were, after all, allowing a known criminal to guide them. However, they knew their odds lay best with him at the moment.

They carefully crossed to the other side of the chasm, where they were forced to scale across a steep, cold ledge toward an opening that had not been there moments ago. They hurried through, just in time to witness the Destroyer emerge from the labyrinth. It paused, looking around, but the makeshift bridge was no more. They all held their breaths, hugging the far wall and waiting for the guardian to wander away. 

Loki grimaced, reminded of his suffering as he placed a hand on his stomach. He had exerted a little too much magic too quickly, but it had been thrilling to have it back. It was just as important to him as Mjölnir was to Thor, but the others would never understand that.

He glanced over his shoulder as he began wandering further through the passage. The others were now quicker to follow, no doubt bothered by how close the Destroyer had been to finding them.

However, it was clear that they were now safe.

* * *

It had only been a few minutes before Hogun slumped against the wall with a heavy groan. Everyone stopped, turning their attention onto their comrade. Hogun’s hand clutched weakly at the wound on his shoulder as he barred his teeth in agony. His injury had looked deceptively minor at first, but it seemed the burn was far worse than they had thought. The bleeding had yet to cease.

Loki looked away, his gaze turned to the path ahead. Jötunheim was still some distance away, but the atmosphere around them was beginning to grow colder and colder the further they traveled. These were not conditions an injured warrior would fare well in.

“That looks bad,” Volstagg claimed, eyes trained on the injury. The skin was charred, and blood continued to seep regardless of the pressure being applied to it. He needed a healer. His light armor may not have done much to protect him from the hot blast, but it had been enough to save him from losing the appendage. However, he may just end up losing his arm if he did not get treated soon. 

Hogun ground his teeth and leaned his head back against the cool stone. “Leave me.”

“That is not an option,” Sif stated. She turned her attention to the trickster. “How much farther until we are out of here?”

“I doubt any Frost Giant will help us,” Loki stated, finally informing the others just where they were heading to.

Thor was the first to react, his anger evident. He took a menacing step toward Loki. “ _What_?”

The trickster held his arms up in truce. “You want to get to Midgard, don’t you? The closest route is through Jötunheim.”

Thor clenched his fist, but let it drop almost immediately. “Then you help him.”

But, he could not. Loki may have a strong affinity for magic, but he had always been mediocre when it came to healing. If he had been any better, he would have solved his own trauma sooner. He peered momentarily down at his abdomen before looking back up at Thor. 

“No,” the Vanir warrior claimed. His hand shifted to the mace at his hip as he looked up at them. He peeled himself away from the wall. “I do not want his help.”

Loki said nothing. He knew he was not trusted, but he was not about to beg him to allow him to help either. He did not care. He turned and began to walk away. “If that’s the case, let us keep moving.”

However, the others did not move causing Loki to stop once more. From the corner of his eye, he watched Thor unclasp his cape and toss it to Sif, who had yet to leave Hogun’s side. 

“That should at least help with the bleeding,” Thor grimly stated. He turned to Loki. “Surely, you must know another way to Midgard.” 

“There is an option to turn back. The Destroyer should be quiet now, especially if they head straight for the exit,” the god of mischief offered, his expression neutral. Inwardly, however, he was resisting the urge to grind his teeth in annoyance. They were wasting time. 

Thor seemed just as troubled. Loki heard him make a disgruntled noise at the back of his throat and threw a glance his way.

“Loki’s right,” the thunder god begrudgingly admitted. “You should turn back now. You may be charged with contempt, but it is better than losing a friend.” 

Thor was correct. There was no doubt Odin would punish them, but the situation would only become worse if they continued to follow them. It was best if they left—they were all a thorn at his side.

“There is no way we are leaving you with him,” Sif stated her eyes drifting briefly to Loki before turning her attention back to Hogun. 

“I will be fine,” Thor responded, placing a hand on her shoulder and tilting his head toward Loki. “He did save us back there. There is no reason why he would choose to kill me now.” 

Loki blinked, surprised that for once, Thor was using his head. It was true. If he had really wanted Thor dead, he would never have bothered turning back to help them escape the Destroyer. He could have very easily left Asgard by himself, leaving the others to deal with the consequences.

They stared at him with weary eyes, silently assessing him. He was waiting for Sif to protest again, but she surprisingly remained quiet. The others nodded their heads slowly in agreement, as Volstagg wrapped an arm around Hogun for support.

The trickster silently watched exchange kind words between each other. No one dared to say anything to him—instead, they threw one final glance in his direction before slowly heading back the path they had come from.

Something bitter tickled the back of his throat. It stopped him from saying anything to them, but it was not like they deserved to hear anything from him anyway. He was not about to remind them of everything he had done to help them get here in the first place, nor way he going to tell them how to get back across the chasm. They would have to figure out for themselves that they would need to scale the ledge around the vault.

He bit his tongue and stood completely still, watching the warriors retreat. When they were finally out of view, Thor finally turned his gaze to him.

The god of thunder clapped a hand onto his younger brother’s shoulder. “Let us be off then,” he urged, causing Loki to shrug the appendage off with annoyance. He did not know how else to feel right now. He refused to acknowledge the fact that their dismissal had bothered him. But really, was he not even worth a thank you?

Loki felt self-loathing scratch at his gut. He was clearly reminded just whom he was to them. He swallowed back the bitter taste and stepped past Thor, wanting nothing more than to put some distance between them.

It was unfortunate that there was still so much walking to do—but it was a good thing he was the god of lies and had long convinced himself that he’d be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so my description for the vault is probably a bit different than what little we've seen. To be fair, I initially wrote this before the release of **_Thor: Ragnarok_**. I did not want to change it from what I had, just because then a crucial point of the plot would have been lost. Anyway, this was a fun chapter to write. It may have ended up a bit lengthy, but there is still so much to go.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Next chapter will hopefully come soon enough.
> 
>   * **Casket of Ancient Winters** — (as seen in **Thor** ) — a relic and weapon that once belonged to the Frost Giants of Jötunheim. It is capable of producing and projecting an infinite icy wind that can freeze whole landscapes and plunge an entire world into a new ice age. [[SOURCE](http://marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Casket_of_Ancient_Winters)] 
> 



	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update? So soon? _Yep_.
> 
> But mainly because I will be suffering for the next few weeks while I work on my design portfolio, so next update will come once I have some of that in order. In the mean time, hope you enjoy it because it is quite long.

* * *

Time ticked by slowly as the brothers continued down the damp and rocky passageway. It seemed to stretch on forever, but they knew they were making progress as they watched their path begin to narrow the deeper they traveled. It was not the first time Loki had ventured down this particular path, but Thor did not question how he had discovered it in the first place. Instead, the thunder god seemed distracted and fascinated by the faint glow that the cavern walls emitted.

“Where is this light coming from?” Thor asked.

“I haven’t the slightest clue,” Loki stated, his own fingers tracing over the worn runes that were etched into the walls. “It’s probably as old as Yggdrasil itself.”

Thor paused, his gaze shifting carefully to the trickster. “Yggdrasil?”

Loki smiled. “Surely you’ve figured out that we have been traversing through part of it.”

The Asgardian gaped momentarily, before his lips pursed into a thin line. He slowly pulled his gaze away from the trickster and back up their path. He did not seem interested in delving into the subject. “How much further do we have then?”

“Not much,” Loki muttered, before brushing past the thunder god to continue walking. He did not need to let him know right now that their journey was just beginning. This was just one of the paths they’d need to take. Loki knew a number of them, but he had yet to explore all of them. In fact, this was the only path he knew that winded into Jötunheim itself, however, he at least knew another existed past the capital of Utgard. The trickster had sensed the familiar magic when he had come to bargain with Laufey long ago.

However, circumstances back then prevented him from looking further into it. All he knew was that it lay past their stronghold beyond the snowy and jagged mountain. It would not be easy, but all these secret paths were a challenge to find. All of them were hidden very well behind illusions, blending into the atmosphere around them. His first discovery had been purely accidental—but after he found that one, searching for more had become a favorite pastime of his.

He threw a brief glance over his shoulder to peek at Thor. It had been his fault.

When they were young, their mother made a habit of taking them to the capital of Vanaheim to visit the king, her father. Their grandfather, Frey, was always happy to see his grandsons and delighted at the sight of them sparring with each other, much to Loki’s dismay. The trickster always lost, but he had been close to earning himself a victory that one day.

Frey had been distracted by his conversation with the other adults and had turned his attention away from them, giving Loki an opportunity to use magic. The younger prince had finally pinned down Thor using his own cape, but the thunder god refused to relent. Instead, he repeatedly cussed at Loki for cheating as he continued to struggle against his cape. 

Loki had been laughing, waiting for Frey to finally look back their way so he could show his grandfather that he had won. But instead of a victory, Loki tumbled down the steep side of the arena and fell into the dense woods below. He had underestimated Thor, who had ceased struggling against his binds and chosen to throw the entirety of his weight at him instead.

He rubbed his wrists, remembering how badly his bones had ached from that fall. Loki had broken his arm, but that was a mercy compared to what could have happened. He could have died had the cluster of branches and leaves not slowed the fall. His arm had only broken because he had landed on it when he finally crashed onto the ground. It had been absolutely agonizing, and the immediate pain made him black out.

But the next thing he remembered was waking up and finding himself in a cavern made from a hollowed-out tree. At the time he did not know where he was, but all he knew was that he no longer was in the woods he had fallen into.

The area he lay in was cool, damp, and it smelled of dirt and timber. The cavern walls were lined in bark that was snarled and etched with ancient runes that seemed to stretch on for miles. That had been peculiar, but his thoughts jumped elsewhere. For a fleeting moment, he believed that someone had found and taken him in. However, as he slowly got to his feet and saw the broken branches and fallen leaves around him, he realized he had not been moved.

He limped about, seeing all the components of a tree but without the forest itself. He ran a shaky hand through his hair, fearing that he suffered brain damage from the fall as well. However, his panic was put on hold when he caught movement from the corner of his eye—there were still leaves falling from the sky.

But, there was no sky.

He paused, tilting his head to glance up at the ceiling. He stilled, eyes widening when he realized the ceiling was  _flickering_.

It had been very brief, but it was enough for him to recognize an illusion. It had been the one form of magic that he had picked up on quite fast, much to the dismay of those around him that he winded up pranking. But why was the ceiling false?

Loki closed his eyes, trying to sense where the source of this magic was coming from. His brows knitted together as he slowly realized that the signature of this particular sorcery was old. _Very old_.

And it was all around him now that he was fully aware of it.

It was the same even now. All these passages had the one thing in common and he had learned to recognize the signature the more and more he explored them. While he had been trapped in that one particular cavern years ago, he had found the path out eventually and crawled out into a spring in the enchanted forest of Alfheim.

Of course, the others would find him eventually. Heimdall made sure of that and it had been interesting to explain how he had winded up in the elven realm, to begin with. Even he was confused, but he knew better than to give away his discovery. Instead, the trickster played on his injuries and claimed that he had been lost in the woods before being taken by outlaws.

It worked. Their displeasure for the bandits and his physical state helped sell the story, as absurd as it actually was. They were only glad to have found him in one piece. He feared Heimdall would sell him out, but the sentinel remained quiet on the matter. Of course, Loki would eventually learn how to hide fully from Heimdall’s gaze.

The trickster stopped, feeling the frigid air that whipped at his hair. They were very close to the end of this path. He knew once they stepped out, they would be met with miles of ice and snow and he was in no way ready to face any of that in his current condition. His attention shifted to his abdomen. He needed to mend his inflictions before they worsened. He may have managed to stop the bleeding earlier, but he knew that wound was still infected with dark elven magic. It was messing with his seidr and he needed his magic if they were to survive the wintery conditions of Jötunheim.

While Loki knew that he would fare better against the cold, the same could not be said of Thor. The Asgardian warrior would freeze to his death within hours if they dared go on now as they were. His armor would do nothing to keep him warm. Loki knew he would have to conjure up something for them to wear, but he could not afford to do so right now—that required more magic than he currently had to spend. He had already burned through enough of it to get to this point and it was clear the parasitic effects of the foreign magic in his system was affecting his seidr. If he did not stop and fix this now, all their efforts to escape Asgard would turn to naught.

“We need to rest,” Loki stated, as he carefully sank to the ground.

“I will rest when I reach Midgard,” Thor confirmed, ready to continue forth.

“Unless you wish to freeze to your death, you will do as I say,” Loki curtly informed him, before shoving his vest off his shoulders. He was in no mood to squabble with Thor.

“And are you not able to use your magic to keep us warm?” Thor challenged, as he eyed his brother. Loki did not answer him and instead yanked his shirt up to get a good look at the festering wound. The thunder god visibly grimaced, finally seeing just what the Kurse had done to him.

The area had begun to corrode with pus and something black. His forehead creased with concern. “Are you in pain?” 

“I’ve felt worse,” Loki grimly mused, his fingers brushing carefully around the laceration. It was bad. He had allowed the foreign substance to linger far too long and it had begun to seep into his own seidr. He would need to remove the dark magic before it quite possibly killed him. He brows knitted together, as his fingers continued to graze cautiously across the infected flesh. He should have detected this sooner, but he had been too occupied with other things to notice. He could definitely feel the veins of dark energy beginning to flare out from it now. It had been unwise of him to use up so much magic thus far.

He barred his teeth, forcing his forefingers into the wound and reopening the injury. He watched it begin to ooze blood and something else entirely. It was too late to make things easier for himself when it had already progressed to this level. He carefully pulled them out and let the palm of his hand hover over the area. 

Thor watched with morbid fascination as black strings of energy began to slowly pour from it. “Perhaps it was unwise to leave Asgard in your condition.”

“It is not like anything would have been done about this,” Loki bit back sourly, shifting his focus back to the task at hand. If they had wanted to care for him, they would not have been so quick to lock him up. There was no kindness for criminals. He certainly deserved it, but nonetheless, he wished a healer had treated him. His remedial magic was not very strong, and he knew he would have to bear through more pain than necessary to make any progress.

He frowned. It had not been this bad before and if he knew it would have worsened to such a degree, he would have done something about it earlier. He supposed he was fortunate enough to catch it now before the dark elven matter became impossible to expunge from his body.

The ice crunched under Thor’s footsteps as the god of thunder settled down across from his brother. He would have to wait, which did not anger him but left him feeling anxious. He had broken his word to Jane. The more time he spent away, the more he knew he would hurt her and he hated it.

He crossed his arms in a feeble attempt to keep warm as he watched Loki work. It was unfortunate that their path was through Jötunheim. It was a terrible realm, made of ice and stone—he may be cold now, but he would be colder out there. He wished he could make the situation better, but there was nothing he could use to make a fire.

Thor frowned. It did not help that he was also growing hungry, but now was not the time to complain. He knew things would only worsen the further they progressed.

He would bear through these conditions for now.

* * *

“Are we expecting anyone?” Darcy asked as she craned her neck at the sound of the doorbell. It had only been a few minutes since they had dinner and she had finally settled down to watch TV.

“Not that I know of,” Erik answered without prying his eyes from the computer screen. The older scientist had perched himself at the desk as soon as he had finished his meal. He was busy trying to jot down all the data he had collected these past few days now that he was no longer stuck in a mental ward. He had spent the entirety of dinner discussing his findings with Jane, as Darcy tried her best to shift her mind away from work. 

Darcy looked visibly confused. She doubted that Jane would run off to shower if she was expecting company. She would have told her.

“Should I get it?” Ian asked, pulling the dishwashing gloves off his hands. He had been stuck with cleaning duty for the evening after his boss had snaked her way out of it. 

“Please,” Darcy added sweetly as she peered over the couch and watched her intern head downstairs to see who was at the front door. It only took two minutes for him to return with a bespectacled bald man in a black suit. 

“Agent Sitwell?” Erik is the first to ask, his attention no longer on the computer. It took Darcy a moment to recall the agent, but she remembered he had been one of the agents that tagged alongside Coulson back in New Mexico. What had they done now? It had been months since she’d seen any of these men in black and she wasn’t particularly thrilled at seeing SHIELD again so soon. The last time she had to deal with them, they had swooped Jane and her into a safe house in Norway during the whole fiasco with Loki and the alien invasion.

The old scientist turned in his seat. “Is everything alright?”

“Is Miss Foster around?” Sitwell asked, his eyes glazing over the furniture of the room. 

“I’ll go get her,” Darcy offers, springing to her feet. She had no idea what they could possibly want with Jane, but she figured she should be the one to give her a heads up. The young intern scampered down the hall and straight for Jane’s quarters.

“I’m coming in!” she announced, before entering the scientist’s room. She found Jane standing over the desk, drying her hair. She had already gotten dressed in her pajamas, but that did not stop her from eyeing the open journal lying on her desk.

However, her attention turned to her the younger woman the moment Darcy stumbled in. 

“There is a SHIELD agent standing in your mom’s living room,” Darcy chimed in before Jane could say anything. 

The scientist gawked. “ _What_?”

“Yeah. And he wants to speak with you.”

Jane scowled, her mood quickly turning sour. She tossed the towel angrily at her bed. “What the hell do they want now?”

They may have returned the research they took from her, but Jane still held a strong grudge against them. It had not gotten any better when they had forced her to Tromsø for safekeeping—as if she was a damsel in distress.

“I’m not sure,” Darcy muttered, stepping aside as Jane brushed past her. She was just as lost as to why a SHIELD agent would show up at their doorstep, but the record thus far had not been for anything good.

The two women stepped into the living room, but the they quickly saw that Sitwell had stepped outside onto the veranda. He stood with his back to them, cellphone against his ear.

“He said he needed to make a call,” Ian clarified, eyebrows raised at the animosity Dr. Foster was exhibiting. The older woman looked clearly pissed off. 

“Did he tell you anything?” Jane asked Erik as she shuffled her recent paperwork into a folder and shoved them into the desk drawer. There was no way she would let them run off with her data again. They would have to fight her.

Dr. Selvig shook his head as he got up. He figured it would be best to actually put on some pants, now that they had company over. The moment Erik stepped away from the desk, Darcy made a beeline for the vacant computer. She stood over the keyboard and turned to look at Ian. “What about you? Did he say anything to you?”

“He just asked for my name and then said he needed to make a call.” 

Darcy supposed that made sense. This was the first time SHIELD had met Ian. However, she still could not understand why an agent showed up out of the blue. She grumbled under her breath and began copying data onto a flash drive.

“There is no need to look so disturbed,” Sitwell stated. They froze, attention snapping onto him. They had failed to hear him step back inside.

“I’m here with an offer.”

Jane straightened her posture and stared at the agent. “Offer?” 

She is not sure if she even wants to hear what anyone from SHIELD has to say. Her history with them was far from great. They had done nothing but cause her grief. It was their fault that Erik had turned into such a headcase and they had done nothing to help him. 

“I’m certain you’re all aware of what has happened here these past few hours,” Sitwell declared and began cleaning his glasses, “we saw you helping Thor stop the attack at Greenwich.” 

“ _And_? Get to your point,” Darcy huffed. She was just as done with them as Jane was.

“I’m getting there, Miss Lewis,” he calmly said, reaching a hand into his inside pocket and drawing out a manila envelope. He passed it to Jane as Dr. Selvig returned fully dressed. “That contains all the information you need, but to get to the point,” he threw Darcy a glance, before looking back at Jane, “SHIELD is requesting your services.”

“My services? With what?” Jane asked, pulling the documents out of the envelope. Both Darcy and Erik glanced over her shoulder, as Ian parked himself on a nearby couch. He was confused about what was happening, but it did not seem like the opportune time to ask questions. 

“We are aware that you have been working on and off on a device to reach Asgard. We are simply requesting that you take that idea, and expand on it,” Sitwell continued, “It has become a rising concern and security issue that Earth is invaded by these other worlds, and yet, we lack the same technology to return the favor.”

Jane made a face at him, before looking through the documents in her hands. Her eyes skimmed over the text disinterestedly until she spotted the list of equipment they would provide her. She flipped to the next paper and her eyes lit up when she saw the funds they would provide for the project. Darcy had to do a double-take when she saw the amount herself. She had never seen so many zeroes. 

But, where would that leave her?

Sitwell seemed to have read her mind. “We are aware of your working relationship with Dr. Foster and are willing to give you a job as her lab assistant. The only setback is that you’ll be unable to return to Culver if you do take the position.” 

Darcy paused, mulling over the offer for a moment. “You know, I’m fine with that.”

This was actually perfect. She knew she could finish off what she had left with some online courses and then she would finally graduate. While the job may not be related to political science, it certainly paid well. She would have to reassess her obligations later.

“And just so you are aware, you both will be transferred to New York,” Sitwell added as he held out a pen for them. “I just need you to sign those documents as confirmation. Feel free to keep the copies.”

“What do you mean ‘both’?” Erik is the one to ask, as he pushed his reading glasses up.

“I’m sorry Dr. Selvig, but it would be best for you to continue getting some rest. Might I suggest a vacation? We will still remain in touch, but do not expect us to contact you for any services at this time,” the agent revealed. He glanced over at Ian. “And unfortunately, Mr. Boothby, your services are not needed either. We do, however, appreciate everything you have done to keep London safe.” 

Ian’s face flushed with embarrassment before he nodded his head slowly. “That’s understandable.”

But Darcy couldn’t help but feel bad that she was going to have to let her intern go. However, it was probably for the best. He didn’t seem cut out for this line of work in the long run, but she did give him props for tagging along, saving her life, and giving her space after she nearly sucked his face off. That was something. She had feared he would act upon it, but he hadn’t. She was glad the spur of the moment decision had not affected his sensibilities. 

Jane looked to Erik, ready to argue with Sitwell on the older scientist’s behalf, but he was already nodding his head in agreement as he placed a hand on his colleague’s shoulder. “I seriously do need to take a vacation, Jane. I know you came all this way because I asked you to, but now you have a chance for something better.”

Darcy agreed. This was the first time that SHIELD had turned to Jane for help, instead of scooping her like a maiden in need of aid. She was more than just Thor’s girl. In fact, Erik knew just how resourceful and smart she was. He had been the one to reach out to Jane to help him chase down an anomaly he had been tracking for weeks. Darcy had been fortunate enough that Culver let her start her second internship in time to accompany Jane to London.

But now, there was such a big opportunity for both the women to seize. 

“So, when are we leaving?” Darcy is the first one to ask, as Jane moved to the dining table to look over the documents more carefully. She could not blame her for being so suspicious. 

“We can have you two flying to New York tomorrow night. However, we can always arrange it for a little earlier or later if you’d like. We just need you guys in the city by Tuesday morning.”

“That still doesn’t leave me much time to sort everything out,” Jane claimed, perking her head up. “That’s two days! My mother is not coming back from Spain until the end of the week. She’ll kill me if I leave without saying goodbye.” 

“Oh, Margaret will get over it,” Erik reasoned. “Your parents may have divorced over your father’s workaholic tendencies, but she has always been more forgiving when it comes to you.”

Jane frowned. “That doesn’t help.”

Erik shrugged, before watching Agent Sitwell slide into the adjacent seat. He handed Jane a pen and pointed to the document that needed signing. The scientist seemed hesitant but ended up signing anyway before they began discussing traveling plans.

Meanwhile, Darcy sank down next to Ian on the couch. She knew she would eventually need to sign something herself, but for now, she watched the others huddle around the dining room table. She sighed and rested her head against her intern’s shoulder and patted his knee affectionately. “I’m sorry, but that means I’m going to have to let you go, bud.”

“You’re implying that I even agreed to be your intern in the first place,” Ian coyly muttered, glancing at her hand on his knee. The corner of his lip twitched, before he gave half-hearted smiled. “But, I am going to miss you, Darcy.”

“I know,” she playfully stated, giving him a one-armed hug. “I suppose I’ll miss you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some difficulties with this chapter when it came to length. If you think it’s long, it was longer than this before I chopped off bits and pieces and shortened some sentences. Anyway, there was a lot of character interactions. While I do feel bad for Ian, he does not really fit in any of my plans, so I must give him the boot. Stay tuned, because we’re about to step into Jötunheim next.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> * * *
> 
>   * **Utgardhall -** ( _pronounced ut-guard-hall _) - the palace and stronghold, located inside the capital city of Utgard within Jötunheim. [__[SOURCE](http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Utgardhall)]  
> 
> ____
>   * **Vanaheim -** ( _pronounced vahna-hyme _) - home of the Vanir. Vanaheim is one of the Nine Worlds and exists on the highest level of the World Tree along with Asgard and Alfheim. Its inhabitants are the Vanir, who are the sister race to the Aesir of Asgard; sired long ago by Njord, who had taken a group of Asgardians to settle Vanaheim. The realm is filled with vast forests, fields, and planes. It has become home to various other races such as Rock Trolls and Ogres. In the comics, Malekith the Accursed described the realm as “filled with dusty old gods and enough trees to build a bonfire the size of the sun.” The realm is also filled with the ruins of gigantic, mountain-sized castles and citadels, known as the “ruins of Vanaheim” or as the “abandoned city of the Vanir”. [[SOURCE](http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Vanaheim_\(Nine_Worlds\))]  
>  __
>
>> __As you may have noticed, I mixed both Marvel and Norse lore when it comes to Vanaheim. Frigga (sometimes known as Freyja) is initially from Vanaheim and in Norse mythology, her marriage to Odin was a sign of truce after the long Aesir/Vanir war. If you recall from the Thor movies, there is constant on and off war still occurring, and I believe part of that is a result of some citizens who refuse to accept the alliance between the two realms. And as for the bit with the ruins of Vanaheim, I'm going to say that is the ruins of the old capital.__
> 
> ____
>   * **Frey Njordson -** ( _the God of Harvest _) - he is the Vanir king, husband to Gerd, the older brother of Idunn, and the father of Frigga and Gullveig. [[SOURCE](http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Frey_\(Earth-616\))]  
>  __
>
>> __I may have mentioned that Freyja and Frigga are considered the same person, but I have decided to make them two separate women in this because in some instances she is labeled as Frey’s daughter and in other places as Frey’s sister. So, in response, I made Freyja his other sister and left Frigga as his daughter. I’m mentioning this because I have plans for Freyja down the road. Other changes from lore and canon are the following: Gerd was murdered by those that opposed the alliance between Vanaheim and Asgard shortly after Gullveig was born. Frey is also no longer the king in the present-day timeline. His youngest daughter Gullveig and her husband Kvasir are the current rulers of Vanaheim.__
> 
>   * **Yggdrasil -** ( _pronounced ee-drasil _) - is the tree of life and the branches stretch out over all the nine worlds in Norse Mythology. [[SOURCE](http://norse-mythology.net/yggdrasil-in-norse-mythology/)]  
>  __
>
>> __Alright, so my take on this is that it is not a literal tree, but a metaphorical one. The branches of Yggdrasil are pathways that connect realms to one another and they’re scattered throughout the nine realms. Most of them, if not all, are hidden by magic. I found this reasoning to be the most logical considering we got a taste of Loki’s knowledge of secret paths when he delivered them to Svartalfheim. I do not believe the Convergence is a result of it because that only occurs every five thousand years and Loki was born just over a millennium ago.__
> 
>   * **Agent Jasper Sitwell -** he is a senior agent of SHIELD. He has made an appearance by this point in **Thor** and **The Avengers** and has also appeared in two Marvel shorts: **The Consultant** and **Item 47**. [[SOURCE](http://agentsofshield.wikia.com/wiki/Jasper_Sitwell)]  
> 
> 



End file.
